LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Written Questions

Nick Gibb: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 252W, on departmental written questions, what the cost of preparing that answer was.

Chris Bryant: Under the guidance issued by Her Majesty's Treasury, we have estimated that the marginal cost, based on the amount of staff time spent preparing the answer, was £288.11.

Parliamentary Scrutiny: EC Law

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Leader of the House if she will bring forward plans to reform the House's scrutiny of European legislation.

Chris Bryant: No. The House agreed only recently to put its experimental structure for the scrutiny of the EU legislation on a permanent footing on 12( )November.

Select Committees: Regulation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Leader of the House if she will bring forward proposals to establish a Select Committee to  (a) monitor the work of and  (b) hold to account public regulators; and if she will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: Scrutiny of the work of public regulators is the responsibility of the relevant departmental Select Committees. It would be difficult in practice to carry out effective scrutiny of public regulators which was separate from the wider scrutiny functions of the departmental committees.
	This aspect of their work has recently been strengthened by the establishment of pre-appointment hearings, as proposed in the 'Governance of Britain' Green Paper (Cm7342) and agreed to by the Liaison Committee in May.
	A full list of the regulators who will be subject to pre-appointment hearings is set out in the First Special Report of the Liaison Committee, Session 2007-08, HC 594, pages 5 to 8.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Absenteeism

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the rate of staff  (a) absence and  (b) sickness absence was in his Department in each year since 1997; what the target rates set for his Department are in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	All staff are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice; the Office does not maintain a central record of sick absences. Such records are held by the parent Departments who publish their sick absence statistics.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department has been in the last 12 months.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office have not incurred any costs for special advisers using Government cars.

Departmental Pay

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what bonuses were paid by his Department in 2007-08; to which members of staff; and for what purposes.

Ann McKechin: Staff in the Scotland Office are seconded from the Scottish Executive (SE) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) who each have bonus schemes, part of which relate to annual performance appraisal. The Scotland Office does not hold information on bonus payments under the annual performance appraisal systems. Under the Special Bonus Scheme of the SE and the Reward and Recognition Scheme of the MoJ, the Office may also directly authorise bonus payments for special effort, achievement and commitment; the following table shows the number and cost of such non-pensionable bonuses:
	
		
			   Total number of bonuses  Total cost of bonuses (£) 
			 2007-08 6 £2,150 
		
	
	Members of the Senior Civil Service in the Scotland Office are also seconded from the Scottish Executive and the Ministry of Justice, their bonuses are assessed under a framework set by the Cabinet Office. The Office does not hold central information on such bonuses.

Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department uses the Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages.

Ann McKechin: The Royal Mail carried most of the letters and parcels sent by the Scotland Office in each of the last three years.

Departmental Procurement

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to the award of the contract in the last three years.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office have incurred no costs relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to the award of the contract in the last three years.

Public Opinion

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on  (a) focus groups and  (b) opinion polls in each year since 1997-98; how much he estimates will be spent on each category in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. The Scotland Office incurred no costs on focus groups and opinion polls between 1999-2000 and 2007-08. The Office's estimated spend in 2008-09 on focus groups, to solicit views of voters to the Gould recommendations, is expected to be £24,500; no costs are anticipated on opinion polls.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of his Department's staff who left under  (a) an involuntary and  (b) a voluntary exit scheme in each year since 2005-06 received a severance package of (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if he will make a statement.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office does not operate staff exit schemes. All staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice; who remain their employers. It is these Departments who would operate any such exit schemes.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Disabled

Simon Hughes: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many and what proportion of staff of the House were recorded as being disabled at 1 January 2008.

Nick Harvey: 76 staff have declared that they have a disability. This represents 3.85 per cent. of the House's employees. I will write to my hon. Friend with further information.

Electoral Administration Act 2006

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 191W, on the Electoral Administration Act 2006, what the status is of the discussions between the House authorities and the Electoral Commission on ending dual reporting.

Nick Harvey: Discussions are continuing. It is not yet known when they will reach a conclusion.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Transport

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether any plans have been made to accommodate extra caravaners near to London 2012 Olympics during the games.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 258W.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department and its agencies have spent on  (a) flat screen televisions,  (b) DVD players and  (c) stereo equipment in each of the last three years.

Shaun Woodward: The following table shows expenditure by the Northern Ireland Office, including its agencies but excluding Executive NDPBs, on  (a) flat screen televisions,  (b) DVD players and  (c) stereo equipment in the last three years.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Flat Screen Televisions (1)11,531 15,452 2,415 
			 DVD Players Nil 959 487 
			 Stereo Equipment 82 273 Nil 
		
	
	 Northern Ireland Prison Service
	Details requested could be provided only by this agency at disproportionate cost.
	 Youth Justice Agency
	(1)The figure of £11,531 in 2005-06 includes £8,308 which relates to the purchase of electrical equipment by the Youth Justice Agency. A breakdown of this figure - which may include expenditure in the above three categories—could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department assist special advisers; and what the cost of employing such staff was in each of the last three years.

Shaun Woodward: One civil servant supports the special advisers within my private office, providing administrative support of a non-political nature in accordance with the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".
	It would be inappropriate to disclose individual civil servants' salary details.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many staff in his Department left under  (a) involuntary and  (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 2005-06; how many of them in each case were paid (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000 in the year before they left; and how much (A) was spent in each of those years and (B) is planned to be spent on such schemes in (1) 2008-09 and (2) 2009-10 by (Y) his Department and its predecessor (Z) each of his Department's agencies;  [Official Report, 24 February 2009, Vol. 488, c. 1-2MC.]
	(2)  how many of his Department's staff who left under  (a) an involuntary and  (b) a voluntary exit scheme in each year since 2005-06 received a severance package of (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: No staff have left the Department on an involuntary basis in the last three years. Currently there are no plans for involuntary exit schemes in the next two years.
	The following table shows the number of staff who voluntarily left the Northern Ireland Office under early retirement or early severance schemes in each year.
	
		
			   Up to £25,000  £25,001 to £50,000  £50,001 to £75,000  £75,001 to £100,000  Over £100,000  Total 
			 2005-06 13 3 — — 1 17 
			 2006-07 9 2 2 — — 13 
			 2007-08 6 3 1  — 10 
		
	
	Compensation for early departure is paid from the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. The Northern Ireland Office meets the cost of early departures, and this includes the cost of lump sum severance payments and the additional costs of benefits beyond the normal Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) benefits in respect of employees who retire early.
	The following table shows expenditure on early departures in each year since 2005-06.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 433,713.75 
			 2006-07 288,954.88 
			 2007-08 224,593.17

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Churches

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many churches the Commissioners were responsible for in each year since 1997.

Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners are not responsible for churches. Their legal obligations relate to the management of historic assets to meet their pension commitments and provide other financial support for the Church, and the administration of the legal framework for pastoral reorganisation and helping dioceses settle the future of closed church buildings.

Churches: Change of Use

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many churches were transferred into usage as  (a) restaurants,  (b) bars and  (c) gymnasia in each of the last five years.

Stuart Bell: In the last five years the Commissioners have transferred one church into restaurant use by Deed of Variation. This was in 2004. No church buildings have been transferred into use as bars or gymnasia in the last five years.

Churches: Sales

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many church buildings were sold in each year since 1997; and what the annual total value of sales was in each year.

Stuart Bell: The Commissioners cannot provide a total annual value of such sales because some disposals are dealt with by the diocese in order to fund the cost of a new place of worship.
	However, the number of church buildings sold in each full year since 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			  Year  Number of church buildings sold 
			 1997 17 
			 1998 11 
			 1999 12 
			 2000 9 
			 2001 6 
			 2002 9 
			 2003 17 
			 2004 15 
			 2005 10 
			 2006 11 
			 2007 11

Redundant Churches

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many churches were made redundant in each year since 1997.

Stuart Bell: The number of churches closed for regular worship in each full year since 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			   Number of churches closed for regular worship 
			 1997 24 
			 1998 24 
			 1999 21 
			 2000 8 
			 2001 20 
			 2002 26 
			 2003 30 
			 2004 30 
			 2005 16 
			 2006 23 
			 2007 31 
			 Total 253

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Climate Change

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has conducted into the potential acceleration of Greenland ice cap melt in light of the accelerated rate of Arctic summer ice melt of 2007 and 2008.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	My Department funds research on melting of the Arctic sea ice and Greenland ice sheet through the Integrated Climate Programme, which is undertaken by the Met Office Hadley Centre (MOHC). This programme is jointly funded with the MOD. We also liaise with other research groups in the UK on these topics.
	With regard to the implications of sea ice melt for the Greenland ice sheet, a MOHC study has examined the impacts of long-term deglaciation of the Greenland ice sheet using a greenhouse gas concentration scenario where the Arctic becomes free of sea ice during the summer. This experiment incorporated a model of sea ice so that interactions between sea ice and Greenland land ice melt were included.
	The results showed a maximum contribution from the melting Greenland ice sheet to sea level rise of 5 mm per year, which is within the uncertainty range already considered in projections of sea level rise around the UK coastline. However processes involving rapid movement of ice within the ice sheets are not included in this, or other current ice sheet models, as the dynamics are still poorly understood. Further work is needed to improve these models and thus estimates of sea level rise.
	The UK also monitors changes in the Greenland ice sheet directly. Observational measurements of the rate of change of its volume have been carried out by UK research groups over the last 15 years, using satellite radar remote sensing. Recently scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), part of the Natural Environment Research Council, have developed a new, more accurate technique for determining ice cap changes, using satellite laser technology. Significant research on the fundamental physics of glaciers and ice sheets is being carried out by BAS and other UK research groups, often in Antarctica.

Departmental Contracts

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of the contract awarded by his Department to IBM for the disposal of all redundant electrical and electronic equipment in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Prior to 2004, DEFRA awarded the contract for the disposal of redundant IT hardware, software and fax machines to Northern Realisation Ltd. This contract was at zero cost to the Department.
	In September 2004, this contract was novated to IBM. The current contract for the disposal of equipment continues to run at zero cost to both DEFRA and IBM.

Departmental Marketing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in his Department are responsible for branding activity; and what the cost of employing such staff was in 2007-08.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Three members of staff undertake some work on branding as part of their wider responsibilities. It is not possible to calculate accurately what the cost of the branding activity might have been in 2007-08.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department assist special advisers; and what the cost of employing such staff was in each of the last three years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: In 2006 and 2007, the number of full-time staff assisting the advisers was four (one higher executive officer, one executive officer and two administrative officers). Since the end of August 2007, this number has reduced to three (one HEO, and two EOs). This figure has further reduced since September 2008, and currently stands at one HEO and one EO. Civil servants only provide administrative support of a non-political nature in accordance with the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".
	Individual civil servants' salary details are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much of the £50 million originally left unallocated in his Department's budget for 2007-08 has now been allocated; and for what purposes;
	(2)  for what purpose £50 million was left unallocated in his departmental budget for 2007-08.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Department had no unallocated budgets in 2007-08.

Departmental Written Questions

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Questions for written answer were tabled to his Department in Session  (a) 2002-03,  (b) 2003-04,  (c) 2004-05,  (d) 2005-06,  (e) 2006-07 and  (f) 2007-08 to date; and how many were (i) answered substantively and (ii) not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The total number of questions in each of the parliamentary Sessions is as follows:
	 (a) 5,444
	 (b) 5,229
	 (c) 1,885
	 (d) 6,915
	 (e) 4,692
	 (f) 6,012 (to date)
	The Department strives to answer all questions in full rather than use a disproportionate cost answer. However there have been occasions when it has not been possible to do so. Separate records of the number of questions not answered on the grounds of disproportionate cost are not kept.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Imports

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what varieties of GM crops approval for import into the EU has been recommended by EU scientists but not yet agreed by the European Council or Commission.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 17 November 2008
	 Listed as follows are the GM crop lines which are awaiting possible approval for EU import and for which the European Food Safety Authority has published a favourable overall opinion. MON863xMON810 maize, MON863xNK603 maize and T45 oilseed rape already have EU import approval but further applications have been made to extend the scope of the permitted uses. Of the other products listed, the only one for which approval is being sought for cultivation in the EU is the EH-92-527 Amylopectin Potato.
	MON863xMON810 maize
	LLRICE62
	MON863xNK603 maize
	MON863xMON810xNK603 maize
	EH92-527 Amylopectin potato
	MON89788 soybean
	T45 oilseed rape
	Details of all applications currently being assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are available on the EFSA website at:
	www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/ScientificPanels/efsa_locale-1178620753812_GMO.htm

Livestock: Transport

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on  (a) enforcement and  (b) inspection of the six-day rule.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 18 November 2008
	It is not possible to separate the costs of enforcing and inspecting the six-day rule from the range of measures designed to limit the spread of livestock disease.

Plain English

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by his Department on Plain English Campaign training courses for its staff in each year since 2005.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs does not hold information centrally on the amount of training undertaken on the Plain English Campaign.
	To collect this information would incur disproportionate costs to the Department.

Soil: Research

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has allocated to  (a) research and  (b) training on soil and water management in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has spent approximately £5 million per annum over the last five years on research on the risks and threats to soil and water and how we can ensure that these resources are protected for the benefit of this generation and future generations.
	The Department also funds the Catchment Sensitive Farming Programme through which farmers are given guidance on soil and water management. In addition, Natural England and the Environment Agency provide some guidance and training to farmers.
	Budget allocations for spending relating to water management are decided by each individual sponsor and the Environment Agency. Capturing information relating specifically to water management would involve a disproportionate cost to the Department.

Tuna: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna in protecting tuna stocks; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: In 2007 the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) was the subject of an independent review that it commissioned itself. While the findings of this report were, in certain areas, critical of ICCAT, many of the recommendations were positive and constructive. At the 2008 annual meeting of ICCAT UK will work closely with the EU and other contracting parties to adopt measures that will increase the effectiveness and credibility of ICCAT as one of the main Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOS).

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of  (a) the security situation and  (b) the threat posed by the Taliban in Helmand province; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Helmand province continues to present significant security challenges due to the insurgents' use of intimidation and violence against the local population and their increasingly unconventional tactics such as the use of improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and opportunistic attacks.
	These attacks continue to cause concern and demonstrate the Taliban's ability to strike in an indiscriminate fashion. But this does not amount to the Taliban posing a realistic strategic threat to the democratically elected Afghan government.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel are  (a) embedded with Pakistani military units and  (b) based in Pakistan to co-ordinate military operations in support of UK military operations in Regional Command South.

John Hutton: There are currently no UK military personnel embedded with Pakistani combat units, though one is attached to a training unit. As part of normal military relations, UK non-embedded military staff based at the British high commission in Islamabad provide a liaison and co-ordination function between the Pakistani military and UK and NATO operations in Afghanistan.

Armed Conflict: Children

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors were considered by the Government in responding to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child regarding the optional protocol of the Child in relation to armed conflict; and whether the Army Terms of Service (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2008 were taken into account.

Bob Ainsworth: The UK submitted its first report on the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict in June 2007 and was examined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on this report in September 2008.
	In producing the UK report and preparing for the examination, the Ministry of Defence considered the need to demonstrate how our legislation, policies and practices were compliant with the requirements of the optional protocol. The main areas considered were: the recruitment of under-18s into the armed forces and the safeguards in place to ensure recruitment is totally voluntary; the measures taken to ensure that those personnel under the age of 18 are not deployed on operations; the treatment of child soldiers encountered on operations; the training provision for service personnel on the provisions of the optional protocol; and the treatment and care of service personnel under the age of 18.
	The Army Terms of Service (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2008 came into effect on 6 August 2008, and were taken into account during the process of preparing for the examination. The regulations brought the minimum commitment period for under-18 soldiers back into line with the provisions that existed prior to 1 January 2008, i.e. that they should serve for a minimum of four years from their 18(th) birthday. The Ministry of Defence provided information concerning these changes to the Committee, both in the written response to the list of issues and during the hearing itself.
	The Ministry of Defence believes all our policies are robust and fully compliant with national and international law, including our obligations under the optional protocol.
	The Committee issued its concluding observations on 3 October 2008, in which they made a number of recommendations which require detailed consideration by the UK. The Ministry of Defence is currently engaging with other relevant Government Departments to determine how best to take this work forward.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unarmoured Jackals there are in service.

Quentin Davies: There are 13 unarmoured Jackals in service within the UK training fleet, 12 of which are currently undergoing an improvement programme to fit armour. This will be completed by the end of the year. The remaining unarmoured Jackal is used for maintenance training. There are no unarmoured Jackals deployed on operations.

Defence Evaluation and Research Agency: Property

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what price was realised from the sale of the Pystock site in Hampshire following the privatisation of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency; and what covenants were placed on the sale.

Kevan Jones: The price received by QinetiQ, the successor to the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), from the sale of the Pystock site is a matter for the company. Some details can be found in QinetiQ's published accounts for 2006.
	In addition to covenants relating to clawback there were also covenants in the title documentation relating to the protection of certain strategic assets.
	The Ministry of Defence did not publish a break down of the individual site values contained in the bulk transfer of property to QinetiQ plc as part of the privatisation of DERA. As made clear at the time the valuations are considered commercially confidential.

Departmental Consultants

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultancy in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 418W, to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey).

Departmental Marketing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department are responsible for branding activity; and what the cost of employing such staff was in 2007-08.

Kevan Jones: In the financial year 2007-08 seven members of staff had some responsibility for brand management issues as part of their wider duties in the central MOD Media and Communication organisation.
	The total cost of these seven staff was £395,000 based on average capitation rates. Only a small proportion of this cost is attributable to brand management activities. It is not possible to say how much as the time spent varies from week to week.
	Some Defence agencies, top level budget areas, trading funds, joint headquarters, single service commands and some military units also have individuals whose responsibilities include brand management. Details of this are not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department uses the Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages.

Bob Ainsworth: The MOD primarily uses the services of Royal Mail Group companies for sending its external post, parcels and packages.

Ex-servicemen

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) required and  (b) actual number of (i) first line and (ii) second line staff for resettlement support is.

Kevan Jones: The information requested is provided in the table:
	
		
			   1st Line  2nd Line 
			   Required  Actual  Required  Actual 
			 RN 129 124 21 18 
			 Army(1) — — 26 26 
			 RAF 42 39 11 11 
			 (1) Information relating to the Army 1st Line resettlement support staffing is being collated and I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete.

Ex-servicemen: Official Cars

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision his Department makes for the use of official cars by retired senior military officers; what the cost of such provision was in each of the last five years; and whether the arrangements for such provision have changed in the last 10 years.

Kevan Jones: Within the UK, cars are provided by the MOD White Fleet contract which is a lease/hire agreement for the provision of non-operational vehicles. These cars are provided only for official departmental business. Retired senior military officers would therefore be eligible to use a car if they were on formal departmental business. This includes retired officers, who are employed by the MOD, such as recruiting and liaison staff attending ceremonial functions or official functions; and those employed as lecturers and part time teachers travelling to teach service personnel.
	Detailed records of any such use are not held centrally. The White Fleet contract has been in place since 2001, and since then the arrangements have not changed.

Iceland: European Fighter Aircraft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Typhoon aircraft are to be deployed to Iceland on NATO Quick Reaction Alert duty; on what date; and for how long.

Bob Ainsworth: The peacetime airborne surveillance and interception capability in Iceland is a NATO task. The deployment of four Typhoons was scheduled to take place in December. Following discussions within NATO the deployment will not now take place.

Iraq: Military Aircraft

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier aircraft were deployed in support of Operation Telic; and for what period.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 24 November 2008
	Up to 21 Harrier aircraft were deployed in support of Operation Telic between February and May 2003.
	In my answer to the hon. Member for North-East Milton Keynes (Mr. Lancaster) on 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 135W, I incorrectly stated that the Harrier force has never been deployed on Operation Telic.
	My answer should have read that the Harrier force has not been deployed continuously on operations since the start of Operation Telic.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to regulate the operation of private military and security companies working in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	We currently have no legislation dealing directly with the overseas operations of UK-based private military and security companies (PMSCs). Options for regulation were considered in a Green Paper published in 2002 entitled 'Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation.' A follow-up review in 2005 explored a number of options for ways in which the industry could be regulated, including self-regulation, licensing of individual contracts and licensing of companies from a register of Government-approved companies. This review highlighted the complexity of the issues, especially the definition of what activities should be regulated and how any regulations would be enforced—all of which continue to be the subject of ministerial and official consultation. The Government have undertaken to keep Parliament fully informed of their proposals in this area. If it is agreed that some form of regulation is appropriate, the Government will put the proposals to public consultation.
	However, apart from the national law of the countries in which they are operating, PMSCs are also subject to certain UK legislation. For example, there is legislation penalising grave breaches of the Geneva conventions, as well as torture, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, which applies to acts committed by United Kingdom nationals overseas. We have also considered international regulation based on common international values and norms. We have supported the Swiss Initiative to promote respect for international humanitarian law and human rights law on the part of PMSCs operating in situations of armed conflict or post-conflict.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the Joint Strike Fighter project; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The Joint Strike Fighter programme remains on schedule with the first development conventional take off and landing (CTOL- AA-1) and the first development short take off and vertical landing (STOVL - BF-1) variants completing in excess of 83 test flights to date. AA-1 also achieved its first supersonic flight on 14 November 2008.

Navy: Piracy

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been issued to UK naval forces in respect of the terms of engagement to employ when encountering vessels engaged in acts of piracy.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 19 November 2008,  Official Report, column 503W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin).

Nimrod Aircraft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what options for replacement of the Nimrod R 1 capability are under consideration.

Quentin Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for International Defence and Security gave in another place on 13 October 2008,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column WA28, to the noble Lord, Lord Lee of Trafford.

Peacekeeping Operations

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been  (a) killed and  (b) injured while in Snatch Land Rovers in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan in (A) 2006, (B) 2007 and (C) the first six months of 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence is currently reviewing its policy on the release of data on fatal incidents on operations. I will write to the hon. Member once the review has been completed.
	I am withholding data on injuries caused to UK service personnel in particular vehicle types as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our armed forces.

RAF Lyneham

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the likely time gap will be between the final removal of the Hercules fleet from RAF Lyneham and the arrival of the Joint Helicopter Command contingent upon any relevant decision arising from project Belvedere.

Bob Ainsworth: Programme Belvedere is considering a number of airfields as potential bases for the future Joint Helicopter Command Battlefield Helicopter force, including RAF Lyneham. No decisions have yet been made.

Somalia: Piracy

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the EU Operation Atalanta, what assets will be committed by each nation state; what rules of engagement will apply; what command and control arrangements are in place; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Force generation for the EU Operation Atalanta continues and a formal force generation conference took place on 17 November 2008. The UK will be providing a frigate for the first period of the operation as well as the operation commander and the operation headquarters at Northwood. The nature and scale of contributions from other countries is still under discussion prior to formal launch of the operation.
	While appropriate rules of engagement will be in place for the operation, details for rules of engagement are withheld as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces involved.
	Under the authority of the EU Council of Ministers, the EU member states collectively in the Political and Security Committee (PSC) will exercise political control and strategic direction of the operation. The Council has appointed Rear Admiral Phil Jones as the EU operation commander reporting to the Political and Security Committee, to be based in the multinational operation headquarters at Northwood. Nominations have been received from Greece, Spain and the Netherlands for the position of force commander and the PSC has agreed that the force commander will be appointed on a rotational basis.

Warrior Armoured Vehicle

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the Government plan to improve  (a) the protection afforded by and  (b) the survivability of the Warrior armoured fighting vehicle.

Quentin Davies: The Department has already taken steps to improve the protection and survivability of the Warrior fleet in Afghanistan and Iraq through the Urgent Operational Requirements process. We intend to improve further Warrior's protection and survivability through the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme, which is in the early stages of its Acquisition Cycle.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what pay gaps there are in respect of gender, race and disability among employees of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Maria Eagle: The full-time equivalent earnings indicate that:
	The gender pay for women is 3.68 per cent.
	The ethnic minority pay gap is 7.07 per cent.
	The disability pay gap is 6.75 per cent.
	The Commission inherited staff from three different organisations with very different pay and grading structures. They recognised that this led to differences, and have agreed a new pay and grading structure to ensure everyone at the Commission received equal pay for work of equal value, regardless of their background. The Commission is actively seeking to address the remaining gap.

Domestic Violence

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what recent steps the Government have taken to support women who are subject to domestic violence.

Maria Eagle: Independent domestic violence advisers provide invaluable support to victims of domestic violence. Evidence shows that incidents of victimisation decrease and victims are less likely to withdraw from cases. This financial year we have provided £340,000 for adviser services supporting victims in Specialist Domestic Violence Courts in Wales and £150,000 for Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences in Wales.

Domestic Violence

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government have taken to meet their objective, as stated in the Government Equalities Office document Tackling Violence Against Women, that all police and Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors will have received training about domestic violence by the end of 2008.

Maria Eagle: Forty-two out of 43 Crown Prosecution Service areas completed their domestic violence training by April 2008. The remaining area negotiated an extension until November 2008 and they are on target to complete training by the end of November.
	The Government do not hold information on the provision of training in domestic abuse for police officers. The responsibility for domestic abuse training is devolved to individual police forces. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued guidance on the investigation of domestic abuse cases and the ACPO lead for domestic abuse has been engaging with the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) regarding a refresh of current modular training.
	NPIA have carried out a consultation period, which is to be extended to encompass the voluntary sector. Key areas for refresh will be around honour based violence, stalking and harassment, risk identification, assessment and management and the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act (2004) (non-molestation and civil and criminal law interface). Training is still being undertaken within individual police forces to the current modular system.

Violence Against Women

James Duddridge: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government are taking to reduce levels of violence against women.

Maria Eagle: We want to see continued progress in reducing levels of violence against women.
	That is why we have made it a priority action, in public service agreement 23 "Making Communities Safer", to 'reduce the most serious violence, including tackling serious sexual offences and domestic violence'.
	But we are not complacent about the scale of the problem which is why my department is working closely with Home Office on the forthcoming consultation on violence against women and women's safety which will ask people about what more we should be doing to tackle these crimes.

Disabled Civil Servants

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on measures to increase the proportion of people with disabilities employed as civil servants.

Maria Eagle: I attend the Cabinet Committee on the Life Chances for Disabled People and will raise this issue at its next meeting. The proportion of civil servants declaring a disability has more than doubled from 3.1 per cent. in 2001 to 6.7 per cent. in 2007.

Television Licence Fee

Christopher Chope: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will hold discussions with ministerial colleagues on the reasons for the over-representation of women among those brought before the courts for evading payments for television licence fees.

Maria Eagle: I will do so. I understand that when TV Licensing Enquiry Officers visit premises using television without a valid licence, whichever responsible adult opens the door will have a prosecution statement taken from them. TV Licensing offers people many opportunities to pay their licence and prosecution is always a last resort.

Departmental Consultants

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many external consultants work for the Government Equalities Office.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office currently employs two consultants. They provide advice on research into equalities issues, help the development of GEO's research strategy, and run research seminars. Costs incurred to date since the consultancy contracts were let in May 2008 and October 2008 are £19,847.

Departmental Early Retirement

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many employees in the Government Equalities Office have taken early retirement since its inception; and at what total cost.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office was established on 12 October 2007. Since then, no employees have taken early retirement.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the cost of maintaining the Government Equalities Office website for 2007-08 was; and what the forecast costs of maintaining it in 2008-09 are.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office website
	www.equalities.gov.uk
	was launched on 10 January 2008. The cost of maintaining this site since 10 January 2008 was £891.83. The forecast cost of maintaining the site in 2008-09 is £2,350.00.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many  (a) page hits and  (b) visitors the Government Equalities Office website received in 2007-08.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities website
	www.equalities.gov.uk
	was launched on 10 January 2008. From 10 January 2008 to date, the site has received a total of 542,788 page hits and a total of 22,928 unique visitors.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in the Government Equalities Office has been in the last 12 months.

Maria Eagle: Since the Government Equalities Office was established on 12 October 2007, there has been no provision of Government cars for special advisers.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much was spent on entertainment by the Government Equalities Office in Eland House in 2007-08; and how much of that was accounted for by  (a) food and  (b) alcohol.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office moved to Eland House in February 2008. Since this move there has been no expenditure on entertainment.

Departmental Press Releases

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many press releases have been issued by the Government Equalities Office in each year since its inception; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office was established on 12 October 2007. Since then, 91 press releases have been released.

Departmental Written Questions

Nick Gibb: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many questions for written answer were tabled to her and her predecessors as Minister for Women in Session  (a) 2002-03,  (b) 2003-04,  (c) 2004-05,  (d) 2005-06,  (e) 2006-07 and  (f) 2007-08 to date; and how many were (i) answered substantively and (ii) not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office was established on 12 October 2007. Before this, parliamentary questions relating to the GEO's antecedent body, the Women's Equality Unit, were handled by a number of Government Departments. For that reason, information on questions answered by these Departments before October 2007 is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	During the current parliamentary session to date, the Government Equalities Office has answered 260 written questions. The vast majority of these have been answered substantively but detailed information on disproportionate cost replies is not collated separately and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Public Opinion

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much the Government Equalities Office has spent on  (a) focus groups and  (b) opinion polls in each year since its inception; how much she estimates will be spent on each category in 2008-09; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office was established on 12 October 2007. There was no expenditure on focus groups or opinion polls in 2007-08. The Government Equalities Office has not spent any money on focus groups in 2008-09. Expenditure on opinion polls has amounted to £30,332, as follows:
	
		
			  Company  Title  Amount (£) 
			 MORI Ltd Attitudes to Prostitution (1) 9,546.88 
			 MORI Ltd Attitudes to Prostitution (2) 8,342.50 
			 YouGov plc Women in Business 12,443.25 
			 Total  30,332.63

TRANSPORT

Rail Fares

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of the new fare structure for railways introduced by the Association of Train Operating Companies.

Paul Clark: The new, simplified fares structure was introduced by train operators in full in September this year. It has made fares easier for passengers to understand and has been welcomed by passenger organisations.

Motorcycle Driving Test

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to introduce the new motorcycle driving test; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We plan to allow candidates and trainers to book the new practical motorcycle test from 30 March 2009 and conduct the test from 27 April 2009. We are going to consult on a modular testing arrangement and a statement will follow shortly.

Fatal Road Accidents: Illegal Drugs

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of fatal road accidents were caused or contributed to by drivers under the influence of illegal drugs in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Impairment by drugs was recorded as a contributory factor by the police in 64 fatal crashes in Great Britain in 2007—that is 2.5 per cent. of all fatal crashes where contributory factors were reported. It is not possible to distinguish whether illegal or medicinal drugs were involved.

DVLA

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of customer satisfaction levels with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) commissioned a telephone survey of 1,000 private motorists in July-August 2008. The survey assessed motorist satisfaction with DVLA core business transactions, and provided an overall weighted satisfaction score of 92.32 per cent. compared to 89.82 per cent. in 2007-08.
	Commercial customer satisfaction has been assessed by means of measures taken in DVLA-led surveys in autumn 2008, namely DVLA Commercial Customer Survey and DVLA Fleets Survey.

Young Person's Railcard

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the future of the 16-25 railcard.

Paul Clark: The Government have not had any representations on the future of the 16-25 railcard.

Air Travel: Emissions

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has considered to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions from air travel; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We have a comprehensive approach to aviation's climate change impacts. This includes pressing internationally for global action; bringing aviation into the EU emissions trading scheme from 2012; supporting improvements in technology, encouraging operational procedures, and air traffic management; and other economic instruments.

Rail Network

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the rail network; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Rail White Paper set out the Government's commitment to increase rail capacity across by 2014, backed by investment of £10 billion. This includes the procurement of an additional 1,300 carriages for operation across the network. 423 vehicles have already been ordered and yesterday we announced proposals to procure a further 200 which will benefit passengers in the Thames Valley, around Bristol and on longer distance regional services in central northern England.

Concessionary Bus Fares

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent assessment is of the adequacy of his Department's funding of the national concessionary bus fares scheme.

Paul Clark: The Government remain confident that there is sufficient funding in total to meet the cost of the statutory minimum bus concession. We are also confident that the extra funding provided this year £212 million, to meet the additional costs of the move to England-wide free off-peak bus travel is sufficient. A formula was used to distribute this year's additional funding taking account of factors such as local population, tourist numbers and current bus use. The Department for Transport will continue to monitor the impact of the new concession.

Concessionary Bus Fares

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the Local Government Association on the operation of the national concessionary bus fares scheme.

Paul Clark: Officials in the Department for Transport have had regular meetings with the Local Government Association (LGA) regarding concessionary travel. The LGA and representatives from other tiers of local government are present at regular meetings of the Department's Concessionary Fares Working Groups.

Rail Services: Halifax-London

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made on the provision of a direct rail link between Halifax and London.

Paul Clark: Network Rail is due to present a further assessment of timetable options for the east coast main line to the Office of Rail Regulation on or before 19 December. The Office of Rail Regulation expects to publish its decision regarding which train operators will be granted new access rights during January 2009.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to modify the renewable transport fuel obligation; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Yes. The Gallagher Review on the indirect effects of biofuel production recommended that the rate of increase in the renewable transport fuel obligation should be slowed. Our consultation issued on 15 October proposes this, together with changes to introduce new eligible fuels and to rectify a discrepancy in the definition of how the obligation is calculated.

High Speed Rail Line

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will take steps to build a high speed rail line north from London.

Paul Clark: The Government are looking at the need for additional transport capacity as part of the new approach to planning set out in the October 2007 document "Towards a Sustainable Transport System". While Network Rail is reviewing the case for new lines as one option, enhancement of the capability of the existing network is equally important, as shown by the £8.8 billion investment in upgrading the west-coast main line, which has significantly reduced travel times.

Regional Airports

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is for regional airports in the north of England; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Regional airports, including those in the north of England, generate regional growth and investment, and we support their development provided environmental considerations are addressed. "The Future of Air Transport" White Paper invited airports to publish master plans outlining their future development proposals, and many have now done so.

Aviation: Surcharges

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with representatives of airline companies on fuel surcharges imposed prior to the recent fall in oil prices.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Secretary of State for Transport meets UK airlines on regular basis. The issue of high oil prices has been raised frequently over the past 18 months as a significant concern for the aviation industry.

Channel Tunnel

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of current spare passenger capacity on  (a) the High Speed 1 rail link and  (b) the Channel Tunnel.

Paul Clark: There is currently significant spare capacity on High Speed 1. Much of this will be utilised when domestic high-speed services commence in December 2009. And, potentially, the opening up of the international passenger rail market from 2010 will see further increases in the use of the railway in the future.
	Although the Department for Transport has made no formal assessment of the current spare capacity in the channel tunnel, it is my understanding that a significant level of capacity remains available for international services. The allocation of paths through the channel tunnel, and the precise number that have been unused, are matters for Eurotunnel.

Concessions: Gloucestershire

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Gloucestershire County Council,  (b) Tewkesbury Borough Council and  (c) Cheltenham Borough Council on their funding of free off-peak travel for elderly and disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: No recent discussions have taken place with any of these three councils. The Department for Transport is always willing to discuss the concerns of local authorities, whether on concessionary travel or any other transport issue.
	The Government remain confident that there is sufficient funding in total to meet the cost of the statutory minimum bus concession. We are also confident that the extra funding provided this year, £212 million, to meet the additional costs of the move to England-wide free off-peak bus travel is sufficient in aggregate. A formula was used to distribute this year's additional funding taking account of factors such as local population, tourist numbers and current bus use. The Department for Transport will continue to monitor the impact of the new concession.

Cycling

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding his Department has allocated to promote  (a) cycling and  (b) walking in 2008-09; and what percentage of his Department's total budget for that year that figure represents.

Paul Clark: holding answer 24 November 2008
	The Department for Transport's investment in cycling and walking is primarily via local authorities. The Department is supporting local authorities (excluding London) via local transport plan funding with £577 million in 2008-09. The TfL block grant is £2.528 billion. Local authorities determine their own spending priorities and it is for them to decide how much to allocate to cycling and walking.
	The Department also funds a range of initiatives, often via non-governmental partners, to promote sustainable travel, including cycling and walking.
	In 2008-09 these initiatives include:
	
		
			  Initiative  £  million 
			  Cycling  
			 Support for Cycling England programmes 20 
			 Transport Direct cycle route mapping 0.4 
			   
			  Walking  
			 Walk to School initiatives 1.8 
			   
			 Wider sustainable travel, including year five of a five year programme of funding for three sustainable travel towns and the sustainable travel to school project 5.4 
		
	
	The Department's overall DEL budget for 2008-09 at the main estimates is £13,649.7 million. As we do not monitor the expenditure by local authorities on cycling and walking, any percentage figure would be misleading.

Cycling: East Midlands

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cycle routes have been established in the east midlands since 1998.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not collect this information centrally.

Departmental Early Retirement

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees in his Department took early retirement in each of the last five financial years; and at what total cost.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to our previous answer of 17 July 2008,  Official Report, column 611W.
	Previous years and expenditure can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Information Officers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on employing press and communications officers in  (a) his Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and  (c) its agencies in each of the last three years.

Geoff Hoon: Communications activities across the Department for Transport are not exclusively carried out by staff or units solely dedicated to this purpose. Staff costs are therefore not readily available for communications activities alone and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Estimates of the pay cost of press officer activities have previously been compiled and are set out as follows for the years 2005-06 to 2007-08 as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 DFT(C) 0.77 0.88 0.84 
			 DSA 0.06 0.06 0.06 
			 DVLA 0.19 0.19 0.14 
			 GCDA 0 0 0 
			 HA 0.27 0.30 0.36 
			 MCA 0.15 0.15 0.15 
			 VCA 0 0 0 
			 VOSA 0.04 0.04 0.04

Departmental Land

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much surplus land  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies own; and what the (i) area and (ii) estimated monetary value of each site is.

Geoff Hoon: The Department for Transport and its Executive agencies currently have 234 surplus land parcels, 229 of which are owned by the Highways Agency and five by the Driving Standards Agency, when last valued these sites had an estimated global value of £13.7 million (net book value). Information on site size is not currently available for the majority of the sites, although the majority are very small with 30 per cent. valued less than £1,000.
	This above excludes surplus land held by the British Railways Board (Residuary) (a public corporation) which is in the process of being disposed of.

Departmental Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of DfT(C)'s staff recorded as being  (a) from an ethnic minority and  (b) white were given the highest marking in the annual appraisal round in each year since DfT(C)'s formation.

Geoff Hoon: The central Department recorded the following proportion of staff who received the highest marking in their annual appraisal in each year since formation:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Ethnic minority  White 
			 2007-08 20.2 30.0 
			 2006-07 19.9 30.0 
			 2005-06 10.0 27.0 
			 2004-05 20.0 27.0 
			 2003-04 14.4 29.6 
			 2002-03 14.3 26.6

Departmental Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has a formal policy on steps to be taken when a race impact assessment demonstrates that there has been an adverse impact on a racial group arising from a departmental policy.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport acts in accordance with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (formerly the Commission for Racial Equality) guidance for public authorities on carrying out race impact assessments. In line with the guidance the Department for Transport would decide whether the proposals were relevant to race equality and then take a proportionate response by as necessary:
	considering alterations to the policy that would mitigate the adverse impact or eliminate unlawful discrimination while still delivering the policy intention; and
	considering alternative policies that might better achieve the promotion of race equality.

Departmental Pay

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what bonuses were paid by his Department in 2007-08; to which members of staff; and for what purposes.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer of 2 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 919-20W.

Departmental Publications

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect publication of the Highway Code has on his Department's finances.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Highway Code is self-funding with publication costs met from the income from sales.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Industrial Relations

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis the Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency ordered the confiscation of union material from a union official who was visiting the Shared Service Centre on 11 June 2008; and what happened to the confiscated material.

Jim Fitzpatrick: On 11 June a trade union official from PCS attended DVLA's Shared Service Centre by invitation to view the premises and gain a better understanding of Shared Service processes. At the conclusion of the meeting he started to distribute leaflets to staff and was asked to stop. DVLA do not allow the distribution of leaflets on DVLA property without permission. Permission was not sought on this occasion. The trade union official subsequently offered to hand the leaflets over to a manager, who disposed of them.
	DVLA has no objection to distribution of trade union material when permission is sought and provides notice boards for the display of such information.

Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance issued to Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency staff for use when approached by third parties for motorists' information.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) staffs are issued with guidance to enable them to make appropriate decisions as to whether disclosure of information in a particular circumstance is lawful. However, I have not placed a copy of this guidance in the House Library as it would be a helpful tool for those wishing to access DVLA data unlawfully to circumvent the procedures in place and obtain data inappropriately. I believe the interests of the public are better served by not putting this information into the public domain. However, detailed information on the disclosure of DVLA data is available from
	www.direct.gov.uk/motoring

Driving Standards Agency

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the Driving Standards Agency has issued more than one copy of the 'Are You Ready?' DVD to an individual learner driver since 1 January 2008; for what reasons; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 24 November 2008
	The Driving Standards Agency estimates that between 1 January 2008 and 20 November 2008, 60,000 learner drivers have received more than one copy of the 'Are You Ready?' DVD owing to a technical error.
	A further 20,000 customers were sent an additional copy at their request because of the loss of the original, or an undelivered appointment letter.

Heathrow Airport: Railway Network

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish an estimate of the costs of the Airtrack proposal to improve rail links at Heathrow.

Paul Clark: The Airtrack proposal is being promoted by BAA. Accordingly the estimation and publication of costs is a matter for BAA.

Heathrow Airport: Railway Network

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is proposed to meet any costs of funding the Airtrack proposal to improve rail links to Heathrow from public funds.

Paul Clark: Under the Airtrack train service proposal, links would be provided between existing rail stations as well as new links to Heathrow airport Terminal 5. To the extent that the Airtrack proposal may offer wider benefits to rail passengers a contribution to the scheme from public funds may be appropriate.

Inland Waterways

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential for inland waterways to carry commercial transport.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In July this year, the Department for Transport published a report identifying the existing inland waterways in Great Britain that may realistically be considered for freight transport either in their current condition or with minor infrastructure improvements. That report, with the accompanying map showing the waterways concerned, is freely available on the Department's website.

Intercity Express Programme

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons his Department has changed the process by which the Intercity Express Programme is financed; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: There has been no change to the Department for Transport's process for funding the Intercity Express Programme. The Department expects the private sector to provide the necessary finance, as set out in the Intercity Express Programme Invitation to Tender.

M3

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates  (a) his Department and  (b) the Highways Agency have made of the effect on M3 traffic flows of the three proposed new distribution centres at Andover, Pyestock and Newbury.

Paul Clark: Neither the Department for Transport nor the Highways Agency has estimated the effect on M3 traffic flows of these three proposed new distribution centres.
	The impacts of the proposed distribution centres at Andover and Newbury have not been explicitly assessed by the Highways Agency because of their distance from the M3. The application for Pyestock (Hartland Park) is for reuse of an existing site so the net impact has been reviewed by the Highways Agency and is limited to the equivalent legal reuse.

Motor Vehicles: Safety

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of wearing an appropriate restraint on the survival rate of children involved in car accidents.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A European expert group on child safety, co-sponsored by the Department for Transport, published an analysis of UK casualty data in 2008. This showed that the use of a child restraint, when compared with no restraint, reduced the proportion of moderate child injuries in a frontal impact from approximately 30 per cent. to 10 per cent. and minor injuries from 55 per cent. to 40 per cent.
	However, the Department for Transport has made no recent assessment of the effect of wearing an appropriate restraint on the survival rate of children involved in car accidents.

National Business Travel Network

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many businesses have signed up to the National Business Travel Network; how much has been spent on the network since its launch, broken down by different projects; and how much he plans to spend on the network over the next two years.

Paul Clark: One hundred and twelve businesses have joined the National Business Travel Network since its launch in February 2007.
	Planned spend to March 2009 is £750,000. This includes:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Research and publications 153,000 
			 Events 107,000 
			 Website/database 40,000 
			 Fees, set up costs, salaries, accommodation etc. 450,000 
		
	
	We are currently reviewing how best to reduce car journeys generated by business travel to give more options to employees and businesses.

Network Rail: Disabled

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which construction projects Network Rail has completed in fulfilment of its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what has been the cost of each such project.

Paul Clark: This is an operational matter for Network Rail, who have a duty under part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act to make adjustments to the way their services are provided. This may be done by altering physical features at stations, taking steps to avoid physical obstacle or providing the service by other means.
	Network Rail are also constructing obstacle free, accessible routes at priority stations as part of the Government's Access for All programme. To date, 145 stations have been identified to receive enhancements and work has reached practical completion at 15 sites since March 2006, with a total investment of approximately £29.6 million.

Network Rail: Finance

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is Network Rail's policy to allocate a budget for each construction project in advance of  (a) procurement and  (b) commencement of work.

Paul Clark: This is an operational matter for Network Rail as the owner and operator of the national rail network and such information would be available from the Network Rail's Chief Executive at:
	Iain Coucher
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	Kings Place
	90 York Way
	London, N1 9AG.

Railways: Construction

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 8 October 2008,  Official Report, column 648W, on railways: construction, when the recent work he refers to in his answer was carried out for his Department;
	(2)  who carried out the work referred to; and if he will place a copy of this work in the Library.

Paul Clark: The work referred to in my previous answer on 8 October 2008,  Official Report, column 648W, was carried out by Booz Allen Hamilton and Department for Transport officials as part of the policy development leading to the Rail White Paper (July 2007).

Railways: Fares

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received from train operating companies on rail fare increases.

Paul Clark: The Government have not had representations from the train operating companies regarding rail fares increases, beyond their required statement of compliance in respect of regulated fares.
	Unregulated fares are solely a matter for train operators, but increases are kept under review by Government.

Railways: Overcrowding

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of overcrowding on East Midlands Trains services during peak times on train services from Warrington station; and what steps are being taken to address the issue.

Paul Clark: East Midlands Trains regularly evaluates levels of overcrowding to formulate plans to improve capacity. The refurbishment programme for Class 158 vehicles commenced this summer and will provide a 13 per cent. increase in seating capacity.

Railways: Scotland

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of his Department's staff are working on a possible high speed rail line from London to Scotland.

Paul Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answers on 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1372W, and 28 October,  Official Report, column 835W.

Railways: South-West

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to promote high speed rail links to the south-west.

Paul Clark: The Government's immediate priority are increasing capacity on the existing rail network and £10 billion will be invested from 2009 to 2014 on measures to bring this about.
	In March 2008, the Secretary of State for Transport invited Network Rail to examine options for supporting further growth in the longer term, which might include new lines. Network Rail's new lines study is due to be completed in summer 2009.
	On 29 October 2008, it was announced that the Minister of State for Transport (Lord Adonis) will chair a National Networks Strategy Group, with senior partners from Network Rail, the Highways Agency, Treasury and other Government Departments as necessary. The focus of the group is to make best use of the existing key networks and to investigate longer term solutions to future challenges on these networks including new rail lines.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what projects are included in the Highways Agency's category of other programmes; and from which budget the costs of each such project are met.

Paul Clark: The Highways Agency has a major projects category of construction schemes which individually are greater than £5 million. There are some 4,400 other non major projects, a summary of these showing the number of projects by budget line is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			  Budget line  Capital  Resource  Total 
			 Traffic Management 74 290 364 
			 Technology Improvements 184 101 285 
			 Maintaining the Network 81 1,705 1,786 
			 Smaller Local Schemes and R&D 662 1,332 1,994 
			 Total 1,001 3,428 4,429 
		
	
	A detailed list of projects by description will be placed in the Libraries of the House early in the new year.

Roads: Tolls

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce road tolls in Wiltshire; and which roads will be affected by such tolls.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has no plans to introduce road tolls in Wiltshire.

Rolling Stock

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport of the 1,300 new carriages referred to in the 2007 Rail White Paper, how many will be allocated  (a) to First Transpennine and  (b) to First Capital Connect; and whether they will be in addition to the new Thameslink carriages.

Paul Clark: The HLOS Rolling Stock Plan published on 30 July 2008 shows 42 additional vehicles allocated to the First Transpennine Express franchise and 85 additional vehicles allocated to the First Capital Connect franchise. These carriages are not part of those being procured for the Thameslink upgrade.

Rolling Stock

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what detailed specifications his Department has made for the procurement of new trains since 2000.

Paul Clark: holding answer 20 November 2008
	The Strategic Rail Authority was initially involved, alongside HBSC Rail, in procuring the new trains for the fast domestic services into St. Pancras which are being built by Hitachi. This is because there was no train operator in place at the time.
	The Department for Transport, with the involvement of industry stakeholders, has developed the output specification for the Inter City Express programme and the new trains for Thameslink.

Shared Service Centre: Finance

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of bills the Shared Service Centre has paid within 10 days or less in the last 12 months.

Geoff Hoon: The Department for Transport Shared Service Centre has paid an average of 32 per cent. of invoices within 10-days in the period November 2007 to October 2008.

Transport: Concessions

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the proportion of central Government funding for the concessionary fares scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Government remain confident that there is sufficient funding in total to meet the cost of the statutory minimum bus concession. We are also confident that the extra funding provided this year, £212 million, to meet the additional costs of the move to England-wide free off-peak bus travel is sufficient. A formula was used to distribute this year's additional funding taking account of factors such as local population, tourist numbers and current bus use. The Department for Transport will continue to monitor the impact of the new concession.

Written Questions: Government Responses

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many holding answers his Department has given in response to written parliamentary questions in the last 12 months; and of those how many have been followed with substantive responses.

Geoff Hoon: In the 12 months to 20 November 2008 the Department for Transport had been asked 1,028 named day written questions. Of these 430 received holding replies and 21 questions awaited final answer.

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Manpower

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff in his Office did not achieve an acceptable assessment grade in their annual report in the latest reporting year for which figures are available.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Mr. Watson), Parliamentary and Secretary to the Cabinet Office.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Africa

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which organisations were represented at the meetings he attended during his recent visits to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

Gillian Merron: During his recent visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo with my right hon. Friend the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met President Kabila in Kinshasa. In Goma, he visited a camp for internally displaced persons where he met representatives from a range of humanitarian organisations, and had meetings with Alan Doss, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative and other members of the UN mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo, local government authorities and the EU Special Representative's team.
	In Kigali, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met President Kagame, the Belgian Foreign Minister and members of the Office of Tony Blair Rwanda Team, as well as staff from our embassy and the Department for International Development office.

Alexis Sinduhije

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Burundi on the imprisonment of Alexis Sinduhje of the Movement for Security and Democracy.

Gillian Merron: Following the recent detention of 37 members of the Movement for Security and Democracy (MSD) and its Chairperson Alexis Sinduhije, the UK issued a statement on 7 November expressing its concerns about the ability of Burundians to exercise their civil and political rights.
	A number of incidents involving the media, civil society and political parties have called into question the independence of the judiciary from interference and the credibility of rule of law. No one should be above the law, and those who commit offences should have the right to a free, fair and transparent trial. The UK believes adherence to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Burundi has ratified, the Burundian constitution and dialogue will help create the necessary conditions for the reconstruction, stability and development of Burundi.

Algeria: Religious Freedom

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Algerian Government on the implementation of the spirit and letter of Article 36 of the Algerian Constitution on freedom of speech and expression of religion.

Bill Rammell: I am due to visit Algeria on 24-25 November to participate in the third round of bilateral political dialogue with my Algerian counterparts. During these discussions, I hope to discuss the issue of freedom of religion and belief.
	Our ambassador to Algeria also raised this issue with the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 23 July 2008.
	The right to freedom of religion and belief in Algeria was raised on 14 April during Algeria's examination under the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, which the UK participated in. Additionally, the EU-Algeria Association agreement, which came into force in September 2005, restates that the principles and fundamental human rights set out in the universal declaration of human rights is an essential part of the agreement and must be followed by both signatories. The EU will continue to raise questions of human rights in Algeria.
	We continue to monitor the enforcement of religious laws in Algeria, raising individual cases when it is appropriate.

Algeria: Religious Freedom

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his Algerian counterpart on compliance with the commitment by the Algerian Government to adhere to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with particular reference to Article 18.

Bill Rammell: I am due to visit Algeria on 24-25 November to participate in the third round of bilateral political dialogue. During discussions, I hope to raise the issue of freedom of religion and belief. Our ambassador to Algeria raised this issue with the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 23 July 2008.
	During the last review of Algeria at the UN Human Rights Committee under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in response to questions on this issue, the Algerians said that it was necessary to keep certain laws in place in order to maintain order and prevent proselytisation.
	The right to freedom of religion and belief in Algeria was raised on 14 April during Algeria's examination under the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, which the UK participated in. We were disappointed that Algeria did not accept the recommendation made, relating to its decree on freedom of religion.
	We continue to monitor the enforcement of religious laws in Algeria, raising individual cases when it is appropriate.

Algeria: Religious Freedom

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his Algerian counterpart on  (a) the imprisonment of Algerian nationals who have expressed their minority religious views through written and audio materials and  (b) the closure of 26 Protestant churches in the last 12 months.

Bill Rammell: I am due to visit Algeria on 24-25 November to participate in the third round of bilateral political dialogue. During discussions, I hope to raise this issue with my Algerian interlocutors. Our ambassador to Algeria raised this issue with the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 23 July 2008.
	The right to freedom of religion and belief in Algeria was raised on 14 April during Algeria's examination under the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, which the UK participated in. Additionally, the EU-Algeria Association agreement, which came into force in September 2005, restates that the principles and fundamental human rights set out in the universal declaration of human rights is an essential part of the agreement and must be followed by both signatories. The EU will continue to raise questions of human rights in Algeria.
	We continue to monitor the enforcement of religious laws in Algeria, raising individual cases when it is appropriate.

Algeria: Religious Freedom

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet the Algerian Ambassador to discuss the effects of Ordinance 06-03 on religious freedom in Algeria.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary does not intend to meet the Algerian ambassador to discuss this issue.
	However, I am due to visit Algeria on 24-25 November to participate in the third round of bilateral political dialogue. During discussions, I hope to raise this issue with my Algerian interlocutors.
	Our ambassador to Algeria raised this issue with the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 23 July 2008.

Arms Trade: Treaties

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials had with their US counterparts in advance of the recent United Nations vote on a multilateral Arms Trade Treaty; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We maintain regular and close contact with the US Government on the proposed Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) alongside a wide range of other subjects. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the proposed ATT with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice when they met in New York in September this year and wrote to her on 7 October.
	Senior officials have maintained a dialogue with their US counterparts up to and during the UN First Committee meetings last month at which the vote on our resolution to continue work on an ATT was adopted with 147 member states voting in favour—a substantial majority.
	Although the US decided to vote against this resolution we are confident that they remain committed to working with the UK towards higher standards of arms export controls. We will maintain our dialogue with them to ensure their views, along with the views of all other UN members, are reflected fully in a strong ATT that will help put an end to the irresponsible trade in conventional arms.

Australia: Foreign Relations

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make plans to visit Australia to discuss UK-Australia relations.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary does not currently have plans to visit Australia. He maintains a regular and productive dialogue with his Australian counterpart on a range of key bilateral and multilateral issues. They have regular conversations over the telephone and have met on several occasions this year, including during Stephen Smith's visit to London in June.
	The most recent visit to Australia by a Foreign Office Minister was in May by my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Meg Munn), the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, when she discussed UK-Australia relations with a range of Australian Ministers, including their Deputy Prime Minister.

British Council: Finance

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of the financial controls on the British Council; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The British Council has a strong culture of financial control with well established fraud management policies and procedures. These are regularly reviewed by the organisation's dedicated internal audit function and annually reviewed by the National Audit Office. If fraud is discovered, it is the British Council's normal practice to immediately review existing controls and reflect lessons learnt in operating practices where necessary. In addition, the British Council is implementing a new global finance and business system which will further strengthen the financial control environment through better segregation of duties, more automated financial controls and greater visibility centrally of the effective operation of financial controls.
	Although the Foreign and Commonwealth Office cannot guarantee that frauds will not take place at the Council, we are satisfied that the Council has put in place cost-effective procedures that give reasonable assurance that they will not be defrauded.

Colombia: Armed Forces

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Colombian security forces received training funded, in whole or in part, by the UK in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: UK Government records show that the following number of Colombian Security personnel received direct UK training in the following fiscal years:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003-04 21 
			 2004-05 56 
			 2005-06 58 
			 2006-07 66 
			 2007-08 393 
		
	
	This UK bilateral training is focused on human rights and humanitarian demining. As much of this engagement is training the trainers, further personnel will have benefited. Furthermore, the UK is also supporting projects being implemented by a number of United Nations agencies to train thousands more men and women in human rights.
	Some Colombian military personnel have also received training in the field of counter narcotics. We do not disclose the nature of this engagement, as to do so would endanger the security of the UK and Colombian personnel involved, and undermine the effectiveness of that work.

Colombia: Armed Forces

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which personnel of the 2nd Division of the Colombian Army commanded by Brigadier General Cortes Franco received training funded, in whole or in part, by the UK in the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The UK does not provide training to whole units such as the 2nd Division of the Colombian Army. It is not possible to identify individuals trained by the UK, or by UN programmes part-funded by the UK, who have gone on to serve in particular division of the Colombian armed forces.
	We do not disclose the names or other details of people we have trained as to do so would endanger the security of the UK and Colombian personnel involved.

Colombia: Armed Forces

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Colombian armed forces received training from the British Army in each year since 2000.

Gillian Merron: UK Government records show that the following number of Colombian Security personnel received direct UK training in the following fiscal years:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2000-01 12 
			 2001-02 1 
			 2002-03 1 
			 2003-04 21 
			 2004-05 56 
			 2005-06 58 
			 2006-07 66 
			 2007-08 393 
		
	
	This UK bilateral training is focused on human rights and humanitarian demining. As much of this engagement is training the trainers, further personnel will have benefited. Furthermore, the UK is also supporting projects being implemented by a number of United Nations agencies to train thousands more men and women in human rights.
	Some Colombian military personnel have also received training in the field of counter narcotics. We do not disclose the nature of this engagement, as to do so would endanger the security of the UK and Colombian personnel involved, and undermine the effectiveness of that work.

Colombia: Armed Forces

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2008,  Official Report, column 777W, on Colombia: armed forces, what training his Department has provided to individual soldiers attached to the 15th Mobile Brigade.

Gillian Merron: Officials from this Department are not involved in the training of any members of the Colombian armed forces.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, alongside the Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development, supports humanitarian demining and human rights training, either directly or through partners including the United Nations, to personnel drawn from across the Colombian armed forces and police. As well as bilateral projects, we have projects running through several UN agencies including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the UN Office of Drugs and Crime, that will provide training to more than two thousand serving men and women.

Colombia: Armed Forces

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the dismissal of Colombian Major José Simon Baquero Ramos and the allegations that men under his command committed extra-judicial executions of Columbian civilians; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: We have received no specific reports concerning any of the individuals dismissed following the recent allegations of extra-judicial killings and criminal conspiracy, including Major José Simon Baquero Ramos. In my public statement on 30 October I welcomed the robust action taken by the Government to dismiss the 27 Colombian army officials, and its assurances that all those responsible for these and other extra-judicial killings will stand trial in front of civilian courts.

Colombia: Human Rights

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the Colombian army's alleged involvement in extra-judicial killings of civilians; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: We are aware of abuses recently attributed to the Colombian armed forces, and of the decision taken by the Colombian Government to dismiss a number of its senior officers as a result of these and other reported crimes. I issued the following public statement on the issue on 30 October:
	"The Colombian Government's decision to dismiss a number of army officers as a result of recent extra-judicial killings and cases of criminal conspiracy is important. It is vital, not least for Colombia's international reputation, that the Government and Courts continue to show a determination to deal with human rights abuses committed by members of the armed forces, and that those convicted by the civilian justice system are punished appropriately."

Colombia: Intelligence Services

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 629W, on Colombia: security services, what categories of information are held in his Department's records of Colombian security force personnel who have received UK training in Colombia; and who is responsible for monitoring the human rights conduct of such personnel.

Gillian Merron: The British embassy in Bogota keeps a record of Colombian security force personnel who receive UK training, whether in counter-narcotics, human rights or humanitarian demining, in case information emerged to suggest that they subsequently become involved in human rights abuses. None has to date. Disclosing the details of the record held by the embassy could endanger the lives of those involved.
	All UK-funded projects in Colombia are rigorously evaluated before funding is agreed; and carefully monitored while under way in terms of use of funds, achievement of objectives and outputs. We closely supervise the use of UK resources to ensure the highest operational, ethical and human rights standards are maintained by those with whom we work.
	The monitoring of the human rights or other performance of individual Colombian military personnel is the responsibility of the Colombian armed forces. The Colombian Government's decision to dismiss a number of army officers as a result of recent extra-judicial killings and cases of criminal conspiracy was important. We welcome that those responsible for these crimes will stand trial. It is vital that the Colombian authorities continue to show determination to punish those responsible for abuses, as I reiterated to the Colombian Vice-President on 19 November.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Armed Conflict

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to monitor the current situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Kinshasa, Goma and Kigali on 1-2 November. He saw conditions in the region at first-hand and urged both President Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and President Kagame of Rwanda to work for a political solution to the current crisis in eastern DRC, including full implementation of the Nairobi Accord. Our embassy and the Department for International Development office in Kinshasa maintain close contact with the DRC Government, the UN operation, international partners and humanitarian agencies.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Armed Conflict

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to protect British citizens and aid workers in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gillian Merron: We have no exact figures for the numbers of British citizens in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), though we believe the numbers to be small. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice advises against all travel to eastern and north eastern DRC including North Kivu. Those British nationals in the effected areas are likely to be working with international aid agencies and UN agencies. These organisations have their own security systems in place for the evacuation of staff and take advice from the UN mission in the DRC locally. Our embassy in Kinshasa is able to provide limited consular assistance to British nationals in need of emergency assistance. We have a diplomat based in Goma, who as part of their role is to offer consular advice and assistance.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Armed Conflict

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports by UN officials of the involvement of Angolan troops in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gillian Merron: We have received no confirmed reports from any source, including the UN, of formed units of Angolan troops operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The UN Peacekeeping Force's (MONUC) official spokesman has denied rumours that there are Angolan troops in eastern DRC. The Angolan ambassador to DRC has also denied that there are Angolan troops present in the country.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: United Nations

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent consideration his Department has given to the provision of additional resources to the UN mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) forces on the ground are best placed to deal with the current situation: I fully support their efforts to do so, and commend them for the work they have done. It is not clear that a rapid deployment of forces from the EU or elsewhere at this time could produce a significant increase in the capability that already exists in the region. Discussions with EU partners have revealed a broad consensus in line with this assessment.
	The UK currently has five personnel within MONUC, occupying key staff appointments in Kinshasa and Goma. We will consider requests for additional support from the UN but large scale deployments are highly unlikely in view of our operational commitments elsewhere.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: United Nations

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the provision of additional resources to United Nations Mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gillian Merron: During the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 10 November, EU Foreign Ministers agreed that at present the best option would be to ensure that the UN Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo's (MONUC) 17,000 troops are correctly deployed and effectively mandated to provide immediate security in the east of the country. The Council issued conclusions which reiterated its support for MONUC in these difficult circumstances and asked that everything be done to allow it to fulfil its role completely. The Council also underlined the importance of the forthcoming debates on renewal of MONUC's mandate and on strengthening its capacity and called for the strengthening of co-operation between the EU, its member states and MONUC.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Violence

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards the development of a country-wide plan of action and strategy to combat gender violence in Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what assistance the UK has given towards this task.

Gillian Merron: The UN Senior Adviser on Sexual Violence has been working on a global strategy for tackling the issue in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in consultation with partners. The UK has been taking an active interest in the project. In particular, we have been contributing to the impunity action plan for sexual crimes in DRC, which is a component of the wider UN strategy.
	Addressing sexual violence requires a multi-dimensional approach and the UK Government are tackling the problem through a range of programmes. As part of our Security Sector Accountability Programme (£80 million over five years), we are providing accommodation for integrated brigades, human rights training within the military and have supported the reform of the army chain of payments. The programme includes a strong police reform component focussing on improving command and control procedures and supporting special units within the police to deal with sexual violence. We fund medical and psychosocial care for victims through our contribution to the UN Humanitarian Pooled Fund (£35 million). With EU partners we are supporting a justice rehabilitation programme in Eastern DRC, Restoration of the Judicial System in Eastern Congo (REJUSCO), which includes a component providing legal support and accompaniment for victims through the criminal process. The issue of sexual violence is raised on a regular basis by Her Majesty's ambassador and others to senior members of the Government to generate political will to tackle the issue.

Departmental Buildings

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what refurbishments to his Department's buildings have been carried out in the last 24 months; and at what cost.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) carried out the following refurbishments to its buildings in the UK in the last 24 months:
	refurbishment to areas of sub-ground (including the Consular Crisis Centre), ground, third and fourth floors of King Charles St, London, at a cost of £14,004,000;
	refurbishment to areas of the second, third and fourth floors and East cupola of the Old Admiralty Building, London, at a cost of £1,425,000;
	refurbishment to areas of the second floor of Lancaster House, London, at a cost of £45,000;
	refurbishment of new offices in the Legalisation Office, Milton Keynes at a cost of £519,000;
	refurbishment of lecture theatre and reception at Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes at a cost of £510,000.
	Information relating to refurbishments made to the FCO's overseas estate is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department and its agencies have spent on  (a) flat screen televisions,  (b) DVD players and  (c) stereo equipment in each of the last three years.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not keep the required information centrally and to provide it would incur a disproportionate cost.
	All FCO expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles set out in the HM Treasury publications 'Managing Public Money' and 'Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money'.

Departmental Information Officers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on salaries for press and communications officers in  (a) his Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and (c) its agencies in each of the last three years.

Gillian Merron: The following tables show the number of UK civil servants serving as either press or communications officers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London or at UK Diplomatic Missions overseas at the beginning of each financial year since 2005 and their combined base salaries.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Section  Number of Staff  Combined Annual Salary 
			  1 April 2008   
			 Communications 15 306,084.00 
			 Press 44 1,388,374.00 
			 Total 59 1,694,458.00 
			
			  1 April 2007   
			 Communications 36 757,906.00 
			 Press 49 1,810,721.00 
			 Total 85 2,568,627.00

Diego Garcia: Rendition

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the statement of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 457-58, on terrorist suspects (renditions), whether the information received from the US administration on rendition flights through Diego Garcia has been passed to the police.

Bill Rammell: This information has not been passed to the police.

Diego Garcia: USA

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the US lease on the use of part of Diego Garcia for a military base is due for renewal; and what his policy is on whether the lease should be renewed.

Gillian Merron: The use of the British Indian Ocean Territory is regulated by a series of bilateral agreements (Exchange of Notes) between the UK and the US. The 1966 Exchange of Notes provides that the islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory, including Diego Garcia, shall be available for defence purposes of both countries for an initial period of 50 years (until 2016) and continuing thereafter for a further period of 20 years unless terminated by either government not more than two years before the end of the initial period.
	There have been no discussions with the US about the possibility of terminating the agreement. The UK and US consult closely and regularly on their mutual defence needs, including in the annual bilateral official talks on the British Indian Ocean Territory last held in London 18-19 September 2008. To date neither the UK nor the US has raised the possibility of terminating the agreement.

Ilois: Resettlement

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost has been to his Department of contesting legal action brought by Chagos islanders seeking to return to the Chagos Islands in each year since 1999-2000.

Gillian Merron: There have been three separate legal cases concerning the British India Ocean Territory (BIOT). My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has paid the following sums in respect of legal fees incurred in defending those cases.
	R (Bancoult)  v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and another: £175,268.44—legal fees; £280,000—applicant's legal fees paid by the Secretary of State following judgment in favour of the applicant.
	Chagos Islanders  v. (1) the Attorney-General (2) Her Majesty's BIOT Commissioner: £752,362.78—legal fees.
	R (Bancoult)  v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: the award costs for this case are currently being considered by the Law Lords.

India: Christianity

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of India on action against the perpetrators of recent violence against Christian churches and people in Orissa state.

Bill Rammell: On 1 October my noble Friend Lord Malloch-Brown raised the matter with the Indian High Commissioner in London. On 17 October, he also discussed our concerns with Anand Sharma, Indian Minister of External Affairs, and Mohammed Quereshi, Chairman of the Minorities Commission in New Delhi.
	We understand that the Indian Central Government served an advisory notice to the Orissa State Government on 13 October, urging them to take firm and effective steps to deal with the outbreaks of communal violence and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Our high commission in New Delhi is monitoring the situation closely.

Iran: Nuclear Power

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Iran's compliance with the August 2007 workplan agreed with the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General has reported four times since August 2007 on the "Workplan" on implementation of Iran's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. He has acknowledged some progress, but, in his report of 15 September 2008, Dr. El Baradei said that the IAEA had regrettably
	"not been able to make any substantive progress on the alleged studies and other associated key remaining issues which remain of serious concern".
	We agree with Dr. El Baradei and continue to assess that Iran remains in breach of international obligations. We reiterate our call for Iran to answer the IAEA's questions, and to rebuild international confidence in its intentions.

Iraq: Christianity

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the  (a) motivation and  (b) identity of the perpetrators of the recent violence towards Christians in Iraq; and what representations he has made to the government of Iraq in this respect.

Bill Rammell: All communities in Iraq, including Christians, have suffered from terrorism, sectarian violence and criminality. We condemn all such violence, regardless of who it is directed against.
	We have raised our concerns about the recent violence towards Christians with the Iraqi Government, including the Human Rights Ministry. We welcome the action it has taken to address the security situation in Mosul, where most of this violence has occurred. We are encouraged by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that Christian families are now returning to their homes.
	The Iraqi Government have established a high level investigatory committee to look into the violence in Mosul. We will discuss the findings with the Iraqis when the report is completed.

Iraq: Diplomatic Service

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rights to  (a) appeal and  (b) notification of reasons locally-engaged staff contracted to work in the British embassy in Baghdad have in cases of dismissal.

Gillian Merron: Conduct and discipline issues are covered in local staff terms and conditions. In Baghdad the issue is dealt with in Paragraph 28 and Annex A of the Terms and Conditions of Service in compliance with local law, which state:
	 Stage 4 - Dismissal
	If conduct, attendance or performance is still unsatisfactory and the employee still fails to reach the prescribed standards, dismissal will normally result. The decision will take into account the employee's previous record and any other factors that may be relevant. The employee will be provided, as soon as reasonably practicable, with written reasons for dismissal, the date on which employment will terminate and the rights of appeal. The employee or a representative for them may appeal by putting arguments against dismissal in writing, and those arguments will be considered by Post Management. The employee may contact Local Staff Management Unit (HRD-LSPS) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, but should be aware that there is no formal appeal channel to London. The employee should feel able to involve the local staff association, and no staff association representative will be penalised in any way for becoming involved. If the employee is unsatisfied with the outcome of this process or of any appeal, then they may have recourse to the local courts (subject to the possible application of local Iraqi laws, including Coalition Provisional Authority Orders in this regard).

Iraq: Diplomatic Service

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what codes of practice on employment and terms and conditions locally-engaged staff contracted to work in the British Embassy in Baghdad are subject to.

Gillian Merron: Terms and conditions of employment for locally engaged staff at the British embassy in Baghdad are based on local law. There is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office checklist of issues, such as conduct and discipline, grievances, hours of work, pay, performance standard and tax, which are included in all local staff terms and conditions worldwide, and adapted to comply with local law. Some of the locally contracted staff working at the British embassy Baghdad are employees of private companies such as KBR, Control Risks and GardaWorld, and their terms and conditions are set by their parent companies.

Iraq: Human Rights

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on the treatment of the Assyrian community in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: Officials in our posts in Erbil and Baghdad, as well as in London, regularly meet representatives of the Assyrian community in Iraq, including the Assyrian representative in the Iraqi Parliament. We last met Assyrian representatives in Erbil on 11 November.
	Like all communities in Iraq, the Assyrians have suffered from violence, extremism and criminality. We continue to press the Government of Iraq to ensure that they take action to protect all communities as enshrined in the Iraqi constitution, and to take tough action against those responsible for criminal acts.

Kosovo: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Serbian counterpart on the deployment of the European Union's EULEX mission in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) was one of the issues I discussed with Serbia's President Boris Tadic and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic during my visit to Serbia on 4-5 November, and with Foreign Minister Jeremic when he visited London on 11 November.
	I indicated that a signal from Serbia that it supported EULEX's mission would help create a positive atmosphere for EULEX deployment across Kosovo. We expect Serbia, as an aspiring member of the European Union, to understand the importance of support for this important European Security Defence Policy mission.

Libya

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the terms of the prisoner transfer agreement signed with Libya on 17 November 2008 are; when it is expected to come into force; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: I have been asked to reply.
	The prisoner transfer agreement between the United Kingdom and Libya was signed on 17 November 2008. It is subject to ratification by both the United Kingdom and Libya and will not enter into force until both states have completed their relevant constitutional procedures. In accordance with the requirements of the Ponsonby Rule, the agreement will be published as a Command Paper and laid before Parliament with an Explanatory Memorandum in the usual way.

Madagascar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed with his Madagascan counterpart the possibility of Madagascar joining the Commonwealth of Nations.

Gillian Merron: No such discussions have taken place. However, President Ravalomanana has indicated to our ambassador his desire to discuss Commonwealth membership, noting strong British involvement in Madagascar before it was colonised by the French.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department has given to peace discussions between the Syrian and Israeli governments.

Bill Rammell: We have consistently expressed our political support for the Turkish government's efforts in holding indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel. Over the past fortnight, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has met his Turkish, Israeli and Syrian counterparts and reiterated our support.

Montserrat: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has had with representatives of the Montserrat Government in the last six months.

Gillian Merron: As Minister for Overseas Territories, I met overseas territories heads of delegations, including the Chief Minister of Montserrat, hon. Lowell Lewis, during the 10th meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council on 28-29 October.
	My hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State for Department of International Development, and I also held bilateral discussions with Chief Minister hon. Lowell Lewis and Minister hon. Reuben Meade on Thursday 30 October.

Montserrat: Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many tourists from the UK visited Montserrat in the last year for which figures are available.

Gillian Merron: Tourist statistics are collated by the government of Montserrat. We understand that from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007, 1,899 British citizens visited Montserrat. For the current calendar year up to 12 November 2008, 1,643 British citizens have visited Montserrat. These figures refer to people who have visited Montserrat on a UK passport, and whose normal place of residence is the UK.

Nuclear Fuels

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK has taken in the last 12 months to conclude an international agreement on a mechanism for reliable access to nuclear fuel under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

David Miliband: The UK, Germany and the Netherlands co-hosted an international conference on 17-18 April to bring together supplier and customer states to discuss this issue. The UK will host a further conference next year. The UK is currently working with the presidency of the EU to agree the conditions for an EU contribution to a nuclear fuel bank administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Steps are also being taken to finalise the UK's Enrichment Bond proposal and we expect to take this to the IAEA early next year.

Peace Negotiations: Women

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women  (a) are on and  (b) the UK nominated to be on the UN Peacebuilding Commission.

Bill Rammell: The UN Peacebuilding Commission's (PBC) membership is a collection of UN member states, not individuals. Selection of those member states is made on the grounds of post-conflict experience, equitable geographic representation and gathering expertise from among key troop and police contributing countries and donors. As such, member states do not nominate individual candidates to be on the PBC, although they do provide representatives to speak for them in meetings. Representatives therefore could be of either gender and attendance may differ from meeting to meeting.

Peace Negotiations: Women

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the budget is for the UK National Action Plan to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325; whether he plans to increase it; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: There is no specific budget for the UK National Action Plan to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 as the issues are largely mainstreamed into our work on conflict. However, through the tri-departmental (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development and Ministry of Defence) Conflict Prevention Pool the UK provides direct funding support to a range of projects aimed at tackling gender-based violence and building capacity for female participation in conflict resolution. We will continue to identify projects that promote the recommendations of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and ensure that all HMG funded projects take into account gender issues. UK training to troop contributing countries prior to deployment in UN missions includes guidance on the protection of women and children.
	In the last three years we have given the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) around £9 million in core funding, including £3.4 million for its project on "Women's engagement in Peacebuilding and Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Project". Other projects include funding research into the problem of violence against women in Afghanistan, and £2 million of funding for Pakistan's Gender Justice and Protection Fund which supports national approaches to combat violence against women. In South Africa we provide support to NGOs aimed at empowering women, men and youth to demand and protect women's rights, reducing the vulnerability of women and girls to gender based violence and HTV/AIDs.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department left under  (a) involuntary and  (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 2005-06; how many of them in each case were paid (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000 in the year before they left; and how much (A) was spent in each of those years and (B) is planned to be spent on such schemes in (1) 2008-09 and (2) 2009-10 by (Y) his Department and (Z) each of his Department's agencies.

Gillian Merron: No UK civil servants employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) left the Department involuntarily having received notice of compulsory redundancy in the period since 2005.
	The following table shows the number of staff who left the FCO voluntarily under early retirement or early severance schemes in each year since 2005 grouped according to their annual salary at the time of their departure:
	
		
			   Up to £25,000  £25,001 to £50,000  £50,001 to £75,000  £75,001 to £100,000  Over £100,000  Total 
			 2005-06 — — — — — — 
			 2006-07 — — — — — — 
			 2007-08 3 49 36 9 6 103 
			 2008-09 (provisional) 17 39 13 7 3 79 
		
	
	Compensation for early departure is paid in strict accordance with the standard Civil Service Compensation Scheme. The FCO meets the cost of early departures. This includes the cost of lump sum severance payments and the additional costs of benefits beyond the normal Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) benefits in respect of employees who retire early.
	The following table shows the total cost to the FCO of early departures by staff in each year since 2005.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 18,158.162.00 
			 2006-07 11,269,250.00 
			 2007-08 18,918,138.00 
			 2008-09 (provisional) 9,372,159.00 
		
	
	FCO Services began operating as a Trading Fund in April 2008. The following table shows expenditure on early departures by FCO Services in each year since 2007-08 (the first year for which separate figures are available):
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 1,628,536.00 
			 2008-09 0 
		
	
	It is our policy to do all we can to avoid compulsory redundancies. Since 2004 we have carried out a number of restructuring exercises to realise efficiency savings. This early retirement programme enabled us to reduce the size of the Senior Management Structure (SMS) in the FCO by 20 per cent. by 31 March 2008.
	Figures given for 2008-09 are provisional estimates. The FCO has no plans for wide-scale restructuring exercises in 2009-10, but will be ready to offer departure on early retirement terms to a limited number of staff who meet strict criteria, if work force planning requirements make it necessary.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's staff who left under  (a) an involuntary and  (b) a voluntary exit scheme in each year since 2005-06 received a severance package of (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The following table shows the number of staff who voluntarily left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office under early retirement or early severance schemes in each year, grouped by the level of total cost to the Department of funding each retirement package:
	
		
			  Number of staff 
			   Up to £25,000  £25,001 to £50,000  £50,001 to £75,000  £75,001 to £100,000  Over £100,000  Total 
			 2005-06 20 38 22 22 70 172 
			 2006-07 2 17 8 12 35 74 
			 2007-08 11 12 5 10 65 103 
			 2008-09(1) 10 16 10 7 36 79 
			 (1) Provisional 
		
	
	All payments to staff leaving on early exit schemes are calculated and paid in strict accordance with the terms of the standard Civil Service Compensation Schemes. The total costs shown in the table include compensation payments up to pension age (60), early payment of pension sums, some of which would have been payable to these staff whenever they retired, and administrative costs.
	The figure given for 2008-09 is a provisional estimate.
	All early retirements for which we have paid compensation during this period have been voluntary.

Russia: BBC External Services

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes to the BBC World Service's Russian Service there have been in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: In October the BBC World Service announced changes to the BBC Russia Service in the face of a decline in short wave audiences and the loss of all its FM agreements over the past few years. There is an overall refocusing of the BBC's radio programming, stronger news coverage and an increased online offering. It is for the BBC to decide how best to use its resources to maximise impact.
	BBC Russia will now offer a more focused peak-time news service on radio, both on medium wave and short wave. Their new strategy is to offer a fresher, more relevant service for audiences and to ensure that resources are focused where they will have the most impact.
	The BBC will also increase its online presence. The BBC's online plans include:
	(a) launching a new online rolling news service;
	(b) increasing the number of high quality video reports;
	(c) strengthening resources for BBCRussian.com during the morning peak periods;
	(d) increasing the resources for interactivity;
	(e) boosting the Learn English part of BBCRussian.com.

Russia: EU External Relations

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the EU-Russia talks on a partnership and co-operation agreement with respect to the territorial integrity of Russia's neighbouring states; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: We welcome the resumption of negotiations on the new EU-Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. This will ensure that we can engage Russia on all the issues that are important to us including regional security and stability, trade, climate and energy security. We are clear however that this does not mean a return to business as usual in the EU's relationship with Russia. We will continue to demand full Russian compliance with the ceasefire agreements. And as the EU presidency statement following the November General Affairs and External Relations Council made clear, we will remain vigilant, in particular on common neighbourhood issues that are covered by the Union's negotiating mandate. This includes the conflicts in Georgia and Moldova.

Russia: Foreign Relations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the EU review of relations with Russia.

David Miliband: A copy of the review has been placed in the Library of both Houses.

Russia: Georgia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government has made of the situation of ethnic Georgians displaced from their homes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia since 7 August 2008; what representations the Government has made concerning their situation to the Russian Government; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK Government are concerned about refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) following the conflict in Georgia this August.
	The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has assessed that refugees suffer from food insecurity, deplorable living conditions, lack of access to social services and low school attendance rates for children. While improved law enforcement has provided better security, feuds between families remain an issue for refugees and locals. The UNHCR Global Needs Assessment has identified outstanding challenges including: expanding access to national health, education and social protection programmes; enhancing livelihood opportunities for refugee and host communities; improving awareness among refugees of civil obligations and rights, and procedures to pursue naturalisation.
	Since the crisis broke in August the UK has provided £4 million of humanitarian aid through UNHCR, International Red Cross, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Hazardous Areas Life-Support Organisation (HALO).
	Together with our EU partners we continue to urge the Russian Government and the de facto authority in Abkhazia and South Ossetia to participate in the Geneva talks to find a peaceful lasting settlement, including enabling IDPs to return to their homes.

Russia: Missiles

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Russia's planned deployment of Iskander missiles to the Kaliningrad region; what discussions he has had on the matter with  (a) the Polish government and  (b) his other NATO counterparts; what assessment he has made of President Medvedev's threat electronically to jam US anti-ballistic missile systems; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Deployment of these missiles would be unfortunate and unnecessary. The US has made clear many times, the planned Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system is not intended for, or capable of, countering Russian strategic nuclear forces, but is designed to counter limited ballistic missile threats from states of concern.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with the Polish government, or the governments of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nations, on this specific issue, although the issue of BMD is routinely discussed in a number of forums.

Russia: Missiles

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with  (a) NATO and  (b) EU partners on the Russian declaration on installing short-range offensive Iskander missiles close to the borders of Lithuania, Poland and Germany; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) (question 234947).

Rwanda: Armed Conflict

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the recent fighting in the region.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Tanzania on 1-2 November with his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner. During the visit, he urged President Kabila of the DRC and President Kagame of Rwanda to pursue a political solution to the problems of the eastern DRC, including by fully implementing the Nairobi Accord.
	We will continue to work with the DRC and Rwandan Governments, as well as others including the UN, the African Union and the EU, to seek a long-term solution. Meanwhile, we urge that the current ceasefire is maintained and humanitarian access is allowed to help those most affected by recent fighting.

Somalia: Armed Conflict

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the seizure of the port of Merka in Somalia by Islamist militants; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: A Shabaab insurgent group entered the port city of Merka on 11 November 2008. Government forces appear to have avoided a battle by withdrawing prior to their arrival. Merka is now reported to be the closest city to Mogadishu controlled by insurgents.

Somalia: Piracy

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of reports that pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden are from insurgent groups linked to al-Qaeda; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Piracy has a long history in the region, and while it is possible this is linked to terrorism and insurgent groups, the best evidence is that these activities are largely unconnected. The relevant UK Departments are in regular contact on this issue.

Sudan: War Crimes

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his  (a) US and  (b) French counterparts on the warrant issued by the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for the arrest of President al-Bashir of Sudan; and what the outcome was.

Gillian Merron: On 14 July 2008 the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) submitted an application to the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC to issue a warrant for the arrest of President Bashir of Sudan. The Pre-Trial Chamber has not yet ruled on this application.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with his French and US counterparts, including on the subject of Sudan. We also have extensive discussions at official level. We have agreed with the US, France and other international partners on the need to continue pressing the government of Sudan to engage with the ICC and to commit to a genuine peace process for Darfur and have made this clear to the government of Sudan.

Turks and Caicos Islands: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has met officials from the Turks and Caicos Islands since Hurricane Ike in September 2008.

Gillian Merron: As Minister for the Overseas Territories, I met delegations from the Overseas Territories, including the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dr. Michael Misick, and his officials, during the tenth meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council on 28-29 October.
	The Under Secretary of State for the Department for International Development and I held a bilateral discussion with the Premier, the Finance Minister and Ministry of Finance officials on 30 October.

Turks and Caicos Islands: Hurricanes

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the socio-economic impact assessment prepared by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in respect of the damage caused to the Turks and Caicos Islands by Hurricane Ike.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, jointly with the Department for International Development, has considered the draft assessment prepared by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. We have provided our comments to the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Secretary for inclusion in its final report.

Turks and Caicos Islands: Overseas Aid

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Turks and Caicos Islands authorities on post-hurricane financial assistance; and when a decision will be made about such assistance.

Gillian Merron: The current status of discussions within the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is a matter for the government of the TCI. However, I discussed post-hurricane financial assistance with the Premier of the TCI when I met with him on 30 October. I understand that they are discussing post-hurricane financial assistance with a number of international organisations, governments and private contributors.

Western Sahara: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 239W, on the Western Sahara, what his policy is on whether the resolution of humanitarian and human rights questions should await the conclusion of a political settlement.

Bill Rammell: The UK remains committed to a resolution to the Western Sahara dispute that will achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, providing self-determination to the people of Western Sahara. A successful political solution between the parties lies in building trust and confidence, encouraging the parties to greater realism and compromise as outlined by UN Security Council Resolution 1813 adopted on 30 April 2008. Improvements in the human rights and humanitarian consequences of the dispute are a key part of building that mutual confidence.
	On 22 April my hon. Friend and predecessor the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells), while visiting Morocco, called for greater transparency by all the parties, including on human rights, to help build mutual confidence. This call was echoed by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary when he met Mr. Taieb Fassi Fihri, the Foreign Minister of Morocco, in Marseille on 3 November. The UK Government continue to provide, through the European Union, significant humanitarian assistance to the people in the camps in Tindouf. Since 1993, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) has provided €133 million in humanitarian aid.

Western Sahara: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 239W, on the Western Sahara, what his policy is on the appointment of human rights monitors in the Western Sahara.

Bill Rammell: The UK is concerned that the conflict in the Western Sahara remains unresolved and we are keen to see a resolution to the issue of the Western Sahara that will provide for a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution offering self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara. To this end, we support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the negotiations between the parties under his auspices.
	The UK also continues to support the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). MINURSO's mandate does not include human rights monitoring. However, success in the negotiations depends upon building greater confidence between the parties. In this respect, the UK remains open to supporting UN human rights monitoring in the Western Sahara if it can be shown to enhance the mutual confidence of the parties.

Western Sahara: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 239W, on the Western Sahara, whether the Government categorises the Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory.

Bill Rammell: The UK regards the sovereignty and hence the status of Western Sahara as undetermined pending UN efforts to find a solution. Western Sahara is on the UN's list of non-self-governing territories.

HEALTH

Alzheimer's Disease: Drugs

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of providing drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The condition for which a medicine is prescribed is not recorded centrally.
	The information requested in respect of medicines for the treatment of dementia (as listed in section 4.11 of the British National Formulary (BNF) and which includes Alzheimer's disease) is shown in the following table. Some prescribing of these medicines will be for reasons other than dementia and there may be some prescribing from other areas of the BNF for the treatment of dementia which is not included.
	
		
			  Section 4.11 of the British National Formulary 
			  £000 
			   Net ingredient cost of medicines prescribed in the UK and dispensed in the community in England  Estimated cost for medicines used in hospitals in England( 1) 
			 2007 70,415 12,036 
			 2006 58,969 11,943 
			 2005 49,257 11,973 
			 2004 42,765 11,858 
			 2003 31,347 10,576 
			 (1) Includes medicines dispensed to private patients in private wards within NHS hospitals via the hospital pharmacy.  Sources: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system © IMS HEALTH: Hospital Pharmacy Audit Index

Breast Cancer: East Midlands

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of breast cancer were  (a) diagnosed and  (b) successfully treated in the East Midlands in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many cases of breast cancer were (a) diagnosed and (b) successfully treated in the East Midlands in each of the last 10 years.
	Table 1 gives the numbers of (a) newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer (incidence) by sex for each year from 1997 to 2006 (the latest data available) for the East Midlands government office region.
	It cannot be stated definitively whether a patient with breast cancer has been (b) 'successfully treated'.
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) regularly publishes one- and five-year survival rates for patients resident in government office regions and strategic health authorities. Table 2 gives the five-year relative survival rate for women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1994 and 1999 in the East Midlands government office region.
	Table 3 shows the predicted long-term relative survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001-2003 (the most recent period for which data are available) in the East Midlands government office region.
	ONS does not produce survival rates for men diagnosed with breast cancer. Male breast cancer accounts for less than one per cent of all breast cancer cases.
	
		
			  Table 1: Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancers( 1)  registered in the east midlands government office region: by sex, 1997 to 2006 
			   Males  Females 
			 1997 17 2,622 
			 1998 19 2,767 
			 1999 12 2,967 
			 2000 9 2,993 
			 2001 8 3,005 
			 2002 22 3,047 
			 2003 26 3,306 
			 2004 25 3,513 
			 2005 18 3,375 
			 2006 18 3,548 
			 (1 )Breast cancer is coded to C50 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)  Source:  Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Five-year age-standardised relative survival( 1)  (percentage) from breast cancer( 2) , female patients aged 15 to 99: east midlands government office region, 1994 to 1999 
			  Patients diagnosed in  Followed up to the  end of  Five-year survival (percentage) 
			 1994 to 1996 2001 73.6 
			 1995 to 1997 2002 72.9 
			 1996 to 1998 2003 75.8 
			 1997 to 1999 2004 77.0 
			 (1 )Relative survival takes into account that some cancer patients will die from causes other than their cancer. (2 )Breast cancer is coded to C50 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)  Source:  Office for National Statistics http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=11991&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank=272. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Predicted long-term relative survival( 1)  from breast cancer( 2)  for female patients aged 15 to 99: east midlands government office region, 2001 to 2003( 3) 
			  Percentage 
			  Duration of survival (years)  Relative survival 
			 1 93.9 
			 5 79.6 
			 10 69.4 
			 15 65.7 
			 (1 )Relative survival takes into account that some cancer patients will die from causes other than their cancer. (2 )Breast cancer is coded to C50 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) (3 )Based on all women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1981 and 2001, who were alive for at least part of the period 2001 to 2003.  Source:  Office for National Statistics,  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D9132.xls

Carers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time carers there are.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) and the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) on 12 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1190W.

Dental Services: Derbyshire

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many NHS dental practices are operating in Derbyshire;
	(2)  how many dentists on NHS contracts were registered in Derbyshire in each year since 2005.

Ann Keen: Under the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006, NHS Business Services Authority Dental Services Division can only provide validated information on the number of NHS dental practices at disproportionate cost.
	The numbers of national health service dentists, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 are available in Annex E of the NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006. Information is available by strategic health authority (SHA) and by primary care trust (PCT).
	This measure counted the number of NHS dentists recorded on PCT lists as at 31 March each year. This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity
	The numbers of dentists with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March, 2007 and 2008 are available in Table Gl of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007-08 report. Information is provided by SHA and by PCT. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006.
	Following a recent consultation exercise, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This report, published on 21 August 2008, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708
	Further work is planned over the next few months to determine whether the new definition used under the new dental contractual arrangements can be applied to the years under the old contractual arrangements to produce a consistent time series.
	Both sets of published figures relate to headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.

Dental Services: Finance

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many units of dental activity (UDAs) issued for NHS treatment have been clawed back by each primary care trust (PCT) since April 2006; how many additional UDAs have been commissioned in the same period by each PCT; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many primary care trusts have clawed back attributed funding under the 2006 dental contract; and how many units of dental activity this equated to in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. Providers of dental services contract with primary care trusts (PCTs) to deliver an agreed annual level of service measured in units of dental activity. Remuneration is in 12 equal instalments. Where a contractor delivers less than 96 per cent. of the annual level of service agreed it is the responsibility of PCTs to decide how this should be handled within the regulations governing dental contracts.

Departmental Coordination

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the dates were of all meetings held between Ministers at his Department and Ministers at HM Treasury in the last six months; and which Ministers were present at each meeting.

Ben Bradshaw: Ministers of this Department do have meetings with Ministers at HM Treasury. However, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department assist special advisers; and what the cost of employing such staff was in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1205W, which reflects the position on support provided for special advisers in each of the last three years.

Departmental Public Relations

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of  (a) entertainment,  (b) advertising and promotion and  (c) public relations consultancy to his Department in 2007-08.

Ben Bradshaw: Entertainment has been assumed to mean entertaining journalists. There have been two journalists receptions held in the last 12 months, one held on 24 July 2007, another at Christmas held on 17 December 2007.
	These were held in Richmond House and the only costs incurred were the catering, £831.85 for the event on 24 July 2007 and £1,079.30 for the event on 17 December 2007.
	The following table outlines the cost of departmental spending on publicity and advertising during 2007-08.
	
		
			  Departmental spending on publicity and advertising 2007-08 
			   £ million 
			 Tobacco control 19.0 
			 Tobacco legislation 8.7 
			 Sexual health (including the Department's contribution to joint campaign with Department for Children, Schools and Families) 6.9 
			 Drugs prevention (the Department's contribution to joint campaign with Home Office and Department for Children, Schools and Families) 2.0 
			 Alcohol (the Department's contribution to joint campaign with Home Office) 1.3 
			 Hepatitis C 2.1 
			 Flu immunisation 1.4 
			 Social work/care 3.1 
			 Keep warm, keep well (the Department's contribution to cross-government campaign) 0.5 
			 Maternal and infant nutrition 1.2 
			 Respiratory and hand hygiene 0.8 
			 NHS Direct 1.0 
			 Antibiotics 0.6 
			 5 A Day 1.3 
			 NHS Injury Benefits Scheme 0.4 
			 Total 50.3 
		
	
	During 2007-08, the cost of public relations consultancy to the Department was £5,341,505.

Diabetes

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) adults and  (b) children have been (i) diagnosed with and (ii) treated for diabetes in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) records the number of people recorded on general practice diabetes registers in England. As the care of children with diabetes is generally under the control of specialists, the register excludes those patients age 16 and under.
	The following table shows the number of people recorded on diabetes registers from 2004-05 to 2007-08. This means that they have received a diagnosis of diabetes, and can therefore be offered the appropriate treatment and support.
	
		
			  Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) diabetes register counts( 1) 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Number of patients on diabetes registers 1,766,391 1,890,663 1,961,976 2,088,335 
			 (1) Figures are available only from 2004-05 onwards 
		
	
	Exact figures for the number of children diagnosed with and treated for diabetes in the last five years are not available.

Diabetes: Pupils

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the provision of training for school staff in supporting schoolchildren with diabetes; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and the Secretary of State for Health meet regularly to discuss matters of interest to the two Departments. This has included the child health strategy, due later this year, which will cover a range of issues including the care of children with long-term health conditions, such as diabetes.

Health Professions: Prosthetics

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there are any restrictions on prosthetics practitioners from other EU member states practising in the United Kingdom.

Ann Keen: Prosthetics practitioners from other EU member states wishing to establish themselves in the United Kingdom are required to register with the Health Professions Council. The Health Professions Council will assess on a case by case basis those prosthetics practitioners who wish to practise in the United Kingdom on a temporary or occasional basis in particular to its duration, frequency, regularity and continuity.

Health Services: Technology

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made to assess advanced telehealth technology within the Whole Systems Demonstrator Programme trials.

Ann Keen: The Whole System Demonstrator programme aims to provide robust evidence on the impact of telehealth and telecare interventions. A selection of the countries leading academic organisations have been commissioned to lead what we believe to be the largest ever randomised control trial of these technologies. The evaluation will determine the extent to which the use of telehealth and telecare:
	promotes individuals long term well-being and independence;
	improves individuals and their carer's quality of life;
	improves the working lives of staff;
	is more cost effective; and
	is more clinically effective.
	The programme will also build an evidence base for future care and technology models.

Health Services: Technology

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to develop and support the UK telehealth sector.

Ann Keen: The Whole System Demonstrator programme aims to evaluate telehealth and telecare and has established a randomised control trial in three sites with the aim to have 6,000 participants. This is believed to be the largest randomised control trial of telecare and telehealth anywhere in the world which will be on a scale significantly greater than anything undertaken in England.
	The Department has worked closely with the Technology Strategy Board to create the Assisted Living Innovation Platform (ALIP). ALIP promotes, supports and invests in technology research, development and commercialisation. Several UK telehealth and telecare companies are already engaged in the first wave of projects supported by the platform.
	Similarly the Department worked with the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency to develop the first ever National Framework Agreement for the procurement of telecare and telehealth.

Health Services: Technology

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Whole Systems Demonstrator Programme has cost, broken down by budget heading, and including the amount paid to external consultants and companies to monitor and oversee the programme.

Ann Keen: The total predicted value of the programme is £31.3 million. To date approximately £16.6 million has been deployed. £13.5 million of this has been issued directly to the sites. The remainder has been used to fund the WSD Action Network, Evaluation Support, Project Management Support and Connecting for Health integration activity.

Health Services: Technology

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use his Department plans to make of telehealth technology in providing health checkups to all people over the age of 40 years.

Ann Keen: There are currently no plans to mandate the use of telehealth technology to support the provision of checkups for all people over the age of 40. Telehealth investment decisions will be made locally by commissioners.

Health: Screening

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of providing free health check-ups to all people over the age of 40 years;
	(2)  what resources his Department plans to make available to provide free health check-ups to all people over the age of 40 years.

Ann Keen: The free check-ups for those aged over 40, to which the hon. Member refers to, is the vascular checks programme. This will put in place an integrated, systematic population-wide vascular risk assessment and management programme for those between the ages of 40 and 74. The programme will assess people's risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. Each person will be given individually tailored advice and support to help them reduce or manage that risk.
	The total annual cost at full implementation (including interventions to manage the risk of vascular disease) has been estimated to be in the region of £332 million in the Department's economic modelling. The costs associated with the vascular checks programme are set out in the impact assessment which has been placed in the Library.

Healthcare for London

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1359W, on Healthcare for London, if he will place in the Library copies of the  (a) agenda,  (b) minutes and  (c) papers discussed at each meeting listed in the Answer.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not routinely release briefing produced for Ministers.

Hearing Aid Council

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the Hearing Aid Council is to cease operation on 31 March 2010 rather than 31 March 2009; and what estimate he has made of the cost of a further year of operation.

Phil Hope: The Health and Social Care Act 2008, which enables the abolition of the Hearing Aid Council and the transfer of responsibility for the regulation of hearing aid dispensers to the Health Professions Council, received Royal Assent on 28 July 2008.
	Since the Act received Royal Assent, a working group has been set up comprising the Department of Health, the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the Hearing Aid Council and the Health Professions Council. It is working towards the required secondary legislation to allow the closure of the Hearing Aid Council and the transfer of its register. It is not possible to complete the Parliamentary process by March 2009, and therefore it has been agreed by the working group to work towards March 2010 as the date of the transfer of the register of dispensers.
	While operational costs are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, I can confirm that the Hearing Aid Council is a non-departmental public body. They do not receive any Government funding and recover their costs from the individual dispensers and their employers via an annual fee.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) Southampton,  (b) Test Valley Borough and  (c) the non-metropolitan county of Hampshire have been required to make a payment additional their Warm Front grant in order to complete the work assessed to be necessary.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table illustrates the number of households in  (a) Southampton,  (b) Test Valley borough and  (c) the non-metropolitan county of Hampshire who have contributed to the costs of assistance through the warm front scheme since 2005.
	
		
			   Scheme year 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 (to 28 October) 
			  (a) Southampton 44 79 248 143 
			  (b) Test Valley Borough 14 23 49 34 
			  (c) Non-metropolitan county of Hampshire (excluding Portsmouth and Southampton) 184 388 922 595

Hospitals: Crimes of Violence

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many attacks by  (a) patients and  (b) relatives visiting patients there were on hospital staff in each primary care trust in each year since 2001.

Ann Keen: Since 2004-05, the numbers of physical assaults against staff reported by health bodies have been collected annually by the national health service Security Management Service. Information is not available on the perpetrators of reported assaults. The number of assaults reported in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 have already been placed in the Library. The number of assaults reported in 2007-08 has been placed in the Library.

Medical Records: Lost Property

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reports he has received of case notes for patients being lost in the post in each of the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: Each national health service body is responsible for the data in its possession and for complying with data protection legislation and the Department has not in the past routinely collected information about incidents of loss of patient data. Strategic health authorities have now been asked to regularly publish details of data losses on their websites and to inform the Department when significant incidents have occurred but 2008-09 will be the first full year of reporting. None of the incidents reported to the Department to date have involved the loss of case notes in the post.

Mental Health Act 2007

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend the Mental Health Act 2007 to include mental capacity as a condition of compulsory treatment in light of the NHS constitution.

Phil Hope: The Government have no plans to amend the Mental Health Act 2007 (or the Mental Health Act 1983) to make compulsory treatment under that legislation conditional on a person either having, or lacking, capacity to consent.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: Staffordshire

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients contracted MRSA in hospitals in South Staffordshire NHS Trust in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the requested format.
	The best data for this period are from the mandatory surveillance system for meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections. Mandatory surveillance data began in April 2001 and results are available by acute hospital trusts. The latest annual data for MRSA, to financial year 2007-08, are available on the Health Protection Agency's website at:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&Page&HPAweb AutoListName/Page/1191942126541
	A copy has been placed in the Library.

Neurology: Drugs

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys his Department has  (a) undertaken and  (b) commissioned on the effectiveness of treatment of neurological illnesses.

Phil Hope: We are not aware of the Department having undertaken or commissioned surveys on the effectiveness of treatment of neurological illnesses.
	The Health Technology Assessment programme, part of the National Institute for Health Research, produces independent research information about the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of health care treatments and tests for those who plan, provide or receive care in the national health service. These, and other existing research results, are used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to develop their technology appraisals which provide recommendations for health professionals on the use of new and existing medicines and treatments for neurological conditions.

NHS: Dental Services

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on average how many units of dental activity per head of population were funded by the NHS in each local authority area in England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on the number of units of dental activity (UDAs) is only available under the new dental contractual arrangements, which were introduced on 1 April 2006. The numbers of UDAs delivered in England in the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08 are available in Table B3 of Annex 3 of the "NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007-08" report. Information is provided by strategic health authority and by primary care trust. Information is not available by local authority.
	This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708

NHS: Discharges

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Act 2003 in reducing instances of delayed discharge from hospital.

Phil Hope: Councils and their national health service partners have made significant progress in reducing delays in hospital discharge. Between September 2001 and June 2008, the number of people over the age of 75 delayed in hospital reduced from 5,673 to 1,602, a reduction of 72 per cent., and total delays for the same period were reduced from 7,065 to 2,180, a reduction of 69 per cent.

NHS: ICT

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1200W, on NHS: information and communications technology, 
	(1)  at what level of the NHS comprehensive information about the financial and resource impact resulting from implementation of the Cerner system is held; and if he will ensure that information is  (a) provided to him and  (b) published;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of the NHS hospital trusts involved providing to him the information on the financial and resource impact resulting from implementation of the NHS IT Cerner system requested in the Question.

Ben Bradshaw: Detailed information about local financial and resource impacts of operational business, including the implementation of the Cerner system, is held locally by the national health service organisations involved. Details of summary level expenditure by NHS trusts on information technology (IT) is requested annually by survey and the results are routinely published. However, the survey and the report does not differentiate between different elements of IT expenditure, for example on hardware, software or Cerner related costs.
	To ensure local accountability is observed and to minimise the cost and the burden of central reporting, such reporting is kept to the minimum. On that basis, I do not believe that any useful purpose would be served by attempting to cost the collation of information unless this were required for essential policy or operational purposes.

NHS: Mental Health Services

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income NHS mental health trusts have generated from private patients, broken down by trust, in each of the last three years.

Phil Hope: holding answer 18 November 2008
	The following national health service trusts provide mental health services and reported private patient and/or overseas patient income in the last three years.
	
		
			  £000 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  NHS Trust  Private patients  Overseas patients  Private patients  Overseas patients  Private patients  Overseas patients 
			 East Kent NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust(1) 31 0 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust(2) n/a n/a 46 0 35 0 
			 Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust 0 0 1 0 1 0 
			 Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust(3) 1 0 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 2 0 0 0 
			 Northgate and Prudhoe NHS Trust(4) 151 0 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust(5) n/a n/a 108 0 111 0 
			 Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire MH Partnership NHS Trust 76 0 43 0 95 0 
			 Sheffield Care NHS Trust 0 21 0 0 0 0 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Trust(6) 91 0 45 0 n/a n/a 
			 Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 4 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Sussex Health and Social Care NHS Trust(7) 10 0 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 1 0 0 1 0 0 
			 (1) East Kent NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust dissolved on 31 March 2006 and the services were absorbed by Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust.  (2) Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust was established on 1 April 2006, therefore no data are available for this organisation for 2005-06.  (3 )Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust dissolved on 31 March 2006 and the services were absorbed by Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust.  (4) Northgate and Prudhoe NHS Trust dissolved on 31 March 2006 and the services were absorbed by Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust.  (5 )Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust was established on 1 April 2006, therefore no data are available for this organisation for 2005-06.  (6) South London and Maudsley NHS Trust gained Foundation Trust status on 1 November 2006 therefore the 2006-07 figure represents only the period to 31 October 2006.  (7 )West Sussex Health and Social Care NHS Trust dissolved on 31 March 2006 and the services were absorbed by Sussex Partnership NHS Trust, which had no private patient income in 2006-07 or 2007-08.   Notes:  1. Only national health service trusts reporting relevant income have been included in the table.  2. Some of these trusts provide services other than mental health care and the Department is unable to separate income for mental health care from other income, therefore some of the figures in the table may include income from private patients that are not mental health patients.  3. The data are from national health service trust audited summarisation schedules. Data on foundation trusts are not included as the Department does not collect information from foundation trusts. Where an NHS Trust gains foundation trust status during any financial year, the audited summarisation schedules report information only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust.

NHS: Public Participation

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a national representative body through which local involvement networks members may enable patients and the public to engage and influence health and social care policy.

Ann Keen: The Government recognise the importance of providing opportunities for all members of society to be engaged in, and have their say on, national policy. There is a number of ways in which patients, carers, service users and the public can influence health and social care policy at a national level, including through the Department's strong tradition of working in partnership with third sector organisations.
	Through the new Third Sector Investment programme, specifically the Strategic Partnership programme, the Department aims to invest in an appropriate number of strategic partners from the third sector. Partners will work collaboratively together and with the Department to advise and inform the Department about key issues in the health and social care field affecting the third sector organisations and the people on behalf of whom they advocate and to whom they deliver services. The programme also aims to develop the capability and capacity in the third sector to fully engage with the wider health and social care reform agenda.
	The Department is investing up to £1.65 million to support the development of user-led organisations in every local authority area .
	The Department has also supported the establishment of National Voices which offers the opportunity to engage the multiple voices of service users and carers in the development of health and social care policy, particularly those from harder to hear communities, through their representative organisations.
	It is for local involvement networks (LINks) to determine the need for a national representative organisation for LINks.

NHS: Publications

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to his Department was of the Healthcare Commission's Annual Health Check report for 2007-08.

Ben Bradshaw: The independent health care regulator, the Healthcare Commission, is responsible for assessing the performance of NHS Trusts. The results of its Annual Health Check for 2007-08 were published in October. The Health Check is the culmination of various streams of work, which take place throughout the year. The cost of the Annual Health Check, in relation to the NHS is £11.6 million.
	This includes:
	Management of the Annual Health Check programme;
	Assessment of core standards; and
	Targets and annual ratings.
	This figure includes £3,384,000 specifically targeted at engagement with patients, public and clinicians to feed their views into the process.
	Detailed information on the Commission's expenditure on its main business areas is given in its accounts which are published as part of its annual report. The annual report for 2007-08 was published on 8 July.

NHS: Reorganisation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings his Department has had with  (a) patient groups,  (b) professional groups and  (c) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on the Quality and Outcomes Framework following the publication of NHS Next Stage Review: Our vision for primary and community care.

Ben Bradshaw: My officials have met with representatives from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the Royal College of General Practitioners to discuss proposals-for a new process for the Quality and Outcomes Framework and discussions have also taken place with the BMA. We launched a public consultation on the proposed new process for developing and reviewing clinical indicators in the Quality and Outcomes Framework to be led by NICE on 30 October 2008. The Department is holding five national stakeholder events with patient and professional groups, NHS commissioners and other stakeholders in order to consult them on how the new process should work.

Ophthalmology: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many opticians there are per 1,000 people in Tamworth borough.

Ann Keen: This information is not available in the format requested.
	The Information Centre for health and social care published the numbers of general ophthalmic services ophthalmic practitioners per 100,000 population, as at 31 December 2007, in the General Ophthalmic Services: Workforce Statistics for England and Wales: 31 December 2007 report. This report was published on 20 November 2008 and has been placed in the Library. It is also available on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/genophworkfstats07
	Information is available by primary care trust and by strategic health authority, and can be found in Table B2 of the annexe of the report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Patient Choice Schemes

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of all  (a) inpatient and  (b) outpatient appointments were made using NHS Direct's national Choose and Book appointments line in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: The Choose and Book Appointment Line primarily books first consultant out-patient appointments. In a very small number of cases, other services available on Choose and Book might be booked by the Appointments Line, which do not differentiate these cases. Information on the proportion of bookings made by Choose and Book Appointment Line for first consultant outpatients in the past 36 months is in the following table.
	
		
			  Bookings made by the Choose and Book Appointments Line (TAL) operated by NHS Direct on behalf of the national health service for first out - patient (OP) appointment as a proportion of total referrals made for first out - patien t appointment, consultant-led, a ll specialties, England 
			  2005-06  November  December  January  February  March 
			 Outpatient bookings made through TAL(1) 2,176 1,619 2,596 3,484 6,396 
			 General practitioner (GP) referral made for first OP appointment 781,142 661,511 800,283 755,630 817,052 
			 Proportion of out-patient bookings made through TAL (percentage) 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.8 
		
	
	
		
			  2006-07  April  May  June  July  August  September 
			 Outpatient bookings made through TAL(1) 8,488 16,330 22,498 26,555 28,016 35,815 
			 GP referral made for first OP appointment 678,793 831,491 835,166 788,466 734,612 795,150 
			 Proportion of out-patient bookings made through TAL 1.3 2.0 2.7 3.4 3.8 4.5 
		
	
	
		
			  2006-07  October  November  December  January  February  March 
			 Out-patient bookings made through TAL(1) 44,097 51,697 43,300 6,637 76,807 90,038 
			 GP referral made for first OP appointment 793,869 764,627 591,624 866,801 735,994 809,419 
			 Proportion of out-patient bookings made through TAL (percentage) 5.6 6.8 7.3 0.8 10.4 11.1 
		
	
	
		
			  2007-08  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November 
			 Out-patient bookings made through TAL(1) 82,072 93,767 92,752 90,698 93,687 92,273 115,183 114,607 
			 GP referral made for first OP appointment 705,603 799,945 788,291 806,831 791,941 745,289 850,593 814,472 
			 Proportion of out-patient bookings made through TAL (percentage) 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.2 11.8 12.4 13.5 14.1 
		
	
	
		
			  2007-08  December  January  February  March 
			 Out-patients bookings made through TAL(1,3) 90,620 129,844 123,124 118,793 
			 GP referral made for first OP appointment(2,4) 642,484 847,708 822,743 774,677 
			 Proportion of all out-patient made through TAL (percentage) 14.1 15.3 15.0 15.3 
		
	
	
		
			  2008-09  April  May  June  July  August  September  October 
			 Out-patient made through TAL(1,3) 131,471 135,212 131,507 148,043 141,927 158,145 160,783 
			 GP referral made for first OP appointment(2,4) 907,783 855,581 877,309 937,744 803,181 898,372 — 
			 Proportion of out-patient bookings made through TAL (percentage) 14.5 15.8 15.0 15.8 17.7 17.6 — 
			  Source: (1 )NHS Direct (2 )GP referrals made—Department of Health Monthly Activity Return, Commissioner based  Notes: (3) Bookings made through TAL may include small numbers of cases booked to services other than first outpatient (eg assessments, allied health professionals and day cases), which cannot be differentiated. (4) Latest published data for first out-patient appointments is September 2008.

Patient Choice Schemes

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls were received on the national Choose and Book appointments line in each of the last 36 months; and what the average number of calls per booked appointment was.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of calls received by the Choose and Book Appointments Line (TAL) operated by NHS Direct on behalf of the national health service and the average number of calls per booked appointment are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of calls received by the Choose and Book Appointments Line (TAL) operated by NHS Direct on behalf of the national health service 
			   2005 to 2006 
			   Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar 
			 Calls received by TAL 7,248 7,184 11,606 15,122 23,139 
		
	
	
		
			   2006 to 2007 
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan 
			 Calls received by TAL 23,442 63,137 108,266 91,764 90,844 112,526 137,321 142,242 126,105 185,702 
		
	
	
		
			   2007 to 2008 
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec 
			 Calls received by TAL 193,464 196,166 209,205 246,265 237,111 230,047 265,959 263,168 204,451 
		
	
	
		
			   2008 to 2009 
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct 
			 Calls received by TAL 296,200 296,470 299,791 334,643 290,476 321,218 329,042 
		
	
	
		
			  Average number of calls per booked appointment to the Choose and Book Appointments Line (TAL) operated by NHS Direct on behalf of the national health service 
			   September 2007 to March 2008 
			   Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct 
			 Average calls per booked appointment(1) 1.74 1.85 1.38 1.42 1.39 1.42 1.41 1.43 1.43 1.47 1.46 1.42 1.40 1.35 
		
	
	
		
			   April 2008 to October 2008 
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct 
			 Average calls per booked appointment(1) 1.43 1.43 1.47 1.46 1.42 1.40 1.35 
			 (1) Data were not collected prior to September 2007  Source: NHS Direct

Patient Choice Schemes

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints about the Choose and Book appointments line have been received in each of the last 36 months; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Where a complaint is raised with NHS Direct regarding the Choose and Book Appointments Line, NHS Direct manages these in line with the NHS (Complaints) Regulations 2004, and the Department's Implementation Guidance for the NHS (Complaints) Regulations 2004 and Good Practice Toolkit for Local Resolution.
	The number of complaints received by NHS Direct concerning the Choose and Book Appointments Line for the period April 20061 to October 2008 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar 
			  April 2006 to March 2007( 1) 
			 Complaints about the Appointments Line (TAL) (all complaints, not just those regarding TAL) 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 3 0 5 19 
			 Complaints per 10,000 calls 0.9 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.3 1.2 
			  
			  2007 to 2008 
			 Complaints about TAL 9 6 6 5 13 29 17 29 14 23 14 12 
			 Complaints per 10,000 calls 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.6 1.3 0.6 1.1 0.7 0.8 0.5 0.5 
			  
			  2007 to 2008 
			 Complaints about TAL 16 10 20 32 21 32 29  
			 Complaints per 10,000 calls 0.5 0.4 0.7 1.0 0.7 1.0 0.9  
			 (1) Recorded complaints for the period April 2006 to March 2007 included all complaints collated by NHS Direct in relation to the Choose and Book Appointments Line, irrespective of whether they related to a third party organisation.  Note: Data were not collected prior to April 2006 relating to complaints.

Social Services: Vocational Guidance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many copies of the employers'  (a) resource pack and  (b) booklets relating to (i) social care and (ii) social work have been downloaded from his Department's social care and social work careers information website in each quarter since it was established.

Phil Hope: The social work and social care website, at: www.socialworkandcare.co.uk provides information to prospective candidates for social care jobs, or for those considering a career in social work. The website provides information on what working in social care involves, the qualifications and experience that new entrants require and other guidance for people considering making an application. It also has resources to assist employers run their own recruitment campaign.
	Figures regarding the number of resources downloaded from the site are only available from March 2008. Prior to this, the coding to allow unique identification of materials being downloaded was not in place.
	The figures from March 2008 are in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of resources downloaded 
			  1 March to 31 May 2008  
			 Employers resource pack 206 
			 Social care booklet 945 
			 Social work booklet 904 
			   
			  1 June to 31 August 2008  
			 Employers resource pack 83 
			 Social care booklet 605 
			 Social work booklet 756 
			   
			  1 September to 19 November 2008  
			 Employers resource pack 88 
			 Social care booklet 638 
			 Social work booklet 832 
			   
			  Total: 1 March 2008 to 19 November 2008  
			 Employers resource pack 377 
			 Social care booklet 2,188 
			 Social work booklet 2,492 
		
	
	The booklets are also available to order by phone.

Strokes

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had strokes in  (a) England and  (b) the East Midlands in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) from 2006-07 suggest there were around 96,000 and 8,000 emergency admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of stroke in England and the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority respectively. However, this figure under-represents the true incidence of stroke for two reasons. Firstly, HES data only include those who were admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of stroke but not all stroke patients currently attend hospital. Secondly, the count of admissions does not represent the total number of patients as a person may be admitted more than once in the year. HES data cannot answer the question in the form requested. Academic estimates suggest there are around 110,000 strokes in England per annum.
	Tables showing HES statistics for stroke admissions in England have been placed in the Library.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors underlie the increases in the number of procedures conducted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in each of the last six years; and if she will take steps to reduce the number of procedures in future years.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 24 November 2008
	Many factors influence trends in the use of animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, including the economic climate, global trends in scientific endeavour and strategic decisions by funding bodies. The increase in the use of genetically altered strains seen over recent years has also had an impact as advances in genetics open up new and promising avenues of medical research.
	The licensing system under the 1986 Act is demand-led and we have no control over the number of project licence applications we receive. The Act limits such animal use to where there is a clear benefit to people, animals or the environment when there is no means of obtaining these benefits without animal use, or at a lesser animal welfare cost. All scientists and researchers undertaking animal research in the UK are required to take into account the '3Rs' (measures to replace, reduce, and refine animal use) when devising their programmes of research proposals.
	In 2004, the Government established the National Centre for the 3Rs to provide a focal point and resources for such activities. The NC3Rs drives advances in the 3Rs by taking a robust scientific approach, and bringing together expertise from a diverse range of areas, including academia, industry, Government and regulatory bodies.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Derbyshire

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been imposed in  (a) Derbyshire and  (b) Bolsover constituency since their introduction.

Alan Campbell: Information on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued is not available at parliamentary constituency area level.
	ASBOs became available in April 1999. Between 1 April 1999 and 31 December 2006 (latest available) 176 ASBOs were issued in the Derbyshire criminal justice system (CJS) area.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many breaches of antisocial behaviour orders in  (a) Hemel Hempstead,  (b) Hertfordshire and  (c) the UK have resulted in a criminal conviction in each year since the inception of such orders.

Alan Campbell: ASBOs became available in April 1999. ASBO breach data are available for ASBOs issued between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2006 (latest available) and are not compiled below criminal justice system (CJS) area level.
	Information collected centrally on the number of breaches of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) only counts those instances where the breach of the ASBO was proven in a court in England and Wales. The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of occasions in the Hertfordshire criminal justice system area( 1)  and England and Wales in each year between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2006 where persons were proven in court to have breached their ASBO 
			  Area  2000-02( 2)  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Hertfordshire 9 16 53 75 100 
			 England and Wales 777 1,409 3,997 7,248 7,755 
			 (1) ASBOs may be issued in one area and breached in another. Breaches are counted in this table by area of breach. (2) From 1 June 2000.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: OCJR Court Proceedings Database.

Anti-social Behaviour: Fixed Penalties

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders have been  (a) cautioned and  (b) issued with penalty notices for disorder in (i) the Devon and Cornwall Police Force area and (ii) England in each year for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: Data provided by the Ministry of Justice showing the number of offenders cautioned as well as offenders issued with a penalty notice for disorder (PND) in the Devon and Cornwall police force area and England, from 2004 to 2006 are in the following table. Data for 2007 are due to be published in late November 2008.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned( 1,2)  and issued with a penalty notice for disorder (PND), in the Devon and Cornwall police force area and England, 2004 to 2006( 3) 
			   Devon and Cornwall  England 
			   Cautioned  Given a PND  Cautioned  Given a PND 
			 2004 6,951 1,889 241,873 61,260 
			 2005 7,175 5,134 283,566 138,262 
			 2006 8,905 7,022 331,518 186,240 
			 (1 )The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2 )From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Anti-social Behaviour: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department has allocated to tackle anti-social behaviour in  (a) Hemel Hempstead,  (b) Hertfordshire and  (c) the UK in each year since the inception of intervention programmes.

Alan Campbell: Since 2003-04, the Home Office has made £34.4 million available in each year specifically and solely to tackle antisocial behaviour in England and Wales. This includes funding for the Respect programme, which is now the responsibility of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and a grant for antisocial behaviour co-ordinators.
	As with all other Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), Dacorum, which includes Hemel Hempstead, was allocated £25,000 a year from 2003-04 as a contribution towards funding an ASB co-ordinator post. In 2005-06, in England the antisocial co-ordinators grant was pooled within the safer and stronger communities fund. This pooled budget supports the delivery of outcomes and indicators relating to antisocial behaviour in local area agreements (LAAs).
	Respect programmes in Hertfordshire also have an impact on antisocial behaviour. These programmes were designed to kick start a change in the way the area worked to tackle antisocial behaviour. There are many funding streams that impact on antisocial behaviour. A more detailed account can be found in the report by the National Audit Office 'Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour' (HC99 2006-07, December 2006). Other Home Office-led activities also act to tackle antisocial behaviour, for example the introduction of community support officers, but a monetary value cannot be assigned to that contribution.

Assaults on Police

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) assaults on police officers were recorded and  (b) prosecutions for such assaults there were (i) in each London borough and (ii) in England in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The available information is given in the following tables. Figures for the number of assaults without injury on a constable are taken from the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office and relate to offences recorded by the police. These figures are on a financial year basis. Assaults without injury are categories which apply specifically to the recorded crime data. If an assault on a police officer results in injury then the offence will be recorded under the appropriate wounding classification (i.e. more or less serious wounding).
	Prosecutions data come from the Office for Criminal Justice Reform and relate to defendants. These figures are on a calendar year basis. The data refer to prosecutions for assault on a constable which may include cases where an officer receives an injury (unlike the recorded crime data). Because of this and the fact that one dataset looks at offences and the other at defendants, the figures in the two tables are not directly comparable.
	Prosecutions data are not available for London boroughs but figures for England are given in Table 3.
	
		
			  Table 1: Numbers of assault without injury on a constable offences recorded by basic command units (BCUs) in London region, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  BCU (police force)  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  London, City of 104 104 104 104 104 
			 Bishopsgate 19 39 36 28 27 
			 Snowhill 15 17 18 13 16 
			   
			  Metropolitan Police  
			 Barking and Dagenham 94 49 52 96 61 
			 Barnet 61 73 91 105 122 
			 Bexley 43 60 49 45 40 
			 Brent 79 94 115 142 127 
			 Bromley 62 77 53 62 49 
			 Camden 136 157 129 109 149 
			 City of Westminster 230 302 222 275 240 
			 Croydon 118 190 128 155 90 
			 Ealing 57 70 70 75 86 
			 Enfield 57 83 59 91 79 
			 Greenwich 109 115 122 118 106 
			 Hackney 120 106 138 139 143 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 115 130 136 123 154 
			 Haringey 76 98 69 95 102 
			 Harrow 36 43 42 22 23 
			 Havering 64 80 70 82 63 
			 Heathrow 4 7 4 6 0 
			 Hillingdon 49 99 94 105 64 
			 Hounslow 96 68 97 100 119 
			 Islington 139 186 125 110 115 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 50 59 54 64 50 
			 Kingston upon Thames 27 40 45 53 68 
			 Lambeth 194 293 205 237 188 
			 Lewisham 132 166 154 187 181 
			 Merton 52 51 55 61 44 
			 Newham 96 102 102 90 130 
			 Redbridge 74 78 61 105 63 
			 Richmond upon Thames 27 36 8 14 31 
			 Southwark 138 175 138 158 171 
			 Sutton 21 39 64 58 60 
			 Tower Hamlets 99 91 104 112 92 
			 Waltham Forest 62 71 68 112 70 
			 Wandsworth 79 111 77 106 139 
			 London region 2,830 3,455 3,054 3,453 3,262 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Numbers of assault without injury offences on a constable offences recorded in England, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 England 20,440 21,794 20,739 20,113 18,889 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for assaulting a constable in England, 2002 to 2006( 1,2) 
			  Region  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 England 14,924 16,834 18,360 18,680 17,768 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Asylum: Work Permits

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permit applications were made by asylum seekers whose asylum decisions had been delayed for more than one year in the last year; and how many such applications were  (a) accepted and  (b) refused.

Phil Woolas: The requested information on the number of work permit applications made by asylum seekers whose asylum decisions had been delayed for more than one year, and those accepted and refused, is not collated and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Borders: Personal Records

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department had spent on consultancy services for the e-borders project by 30 June 2008.

Phil Woolas: The total expenditure on consultancy services and legal support by the e-Borders Programme, from 2004 until 30 June 2008, was £43.5 million.

Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the number of  (a) ex-offenders living in the principal seaside towns,  (b) ex-offenders per 10,000 population in such towns and  (c) ex-offenders per 10,000 population nationally.

David Hanson: I have been asked to reply.
	Prisons record the address to which discharged prisoners state they will be going, but are not able to confirm whether ex-offenders actually go to this address or whether they remain there.
	Individual probation areas maintain records of offenders who are serving community punishments or who are under supervision following release from prison on licence, but do not generally keep records of ex-offenders. Those records that they do maintain are on an area basis rather than a specific town.
	We therefore have no basis on which to estimate the number of ex-offenders living in specific locations.

Community Relations

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's responsibilities for preventing violent extremism are.

Vernon Coaker: The Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT) in the Home Office is responsible for co-ordinating activity to deliver the Government counter terrorist strategy (CONTEST), which in this context will also include the Prevent agenda. It will increasingly become the central co-ordinating point for guidance and support on a number of key issues to all practitioners engaged with the agenda. Key to our work is supporting the police and police authorities in fulfilling their roles across the Prevent agenda.

Community Relations: Leicestershire

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much funding will be given to community groups and organisations in Leicestershire from the funds allocated by her Department for tackling radicalisation in communities; what the procedure is for deciding  (a) which organisations receive such funding and  (b) how much they receive; and what public consultation will take place as part of that process;
	(2)  what mechanisms will be used to monitor the effectiveness of funding allocated to prevent the radicalisation of communities in Leicestershire; who will undertake that monitoring; who will be consulted as part of the monitoring process; what information will be published as a result of that monitoring; and when that information will be published.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office regularly carries out cross government consultation with all of its key stakeholders including Ministry of Justice, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Children Schools and Families, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills along with Government offices among others to identify organisations with experience in dealing with vulnerable individuals. All approved projects are scrutinised by governance boards, which feed into the NSID(E) board chaired by the Prime Minister.
	The Home Office is currently funding one project for community groups and organisations in Leicestershire for tackling radicalisation in communities. Build is a community group in Leicester that supports Muslims to obtain an accredited mentoring certificate so that they can engage in outreach to other young Muslims who are risk of criminality, drug abuse and radicalisation. As well as befriending their subjects, the mentors refer them to associated education and employment programmes in order to improve their social skills, their resistance to radicalisation and their relationships with families and with the wider community.
	Build is linked to Forward Thinking, which is active in community counter radicalisation work. The project is being funded with £77,490 over three years.
	The project is evaluated through internal and external monitoring using forms and reports with separate reports from service users, volunteers, parents and other organisations. Focus groups for young people, parents and community members to discuss and feedback the activities are also carried out. Separately the Home Office will carry out their own internal monitoring on a regular basis to ensure the project meets the criteria laid down.
	Finally, Build is expected to publish a report at the end of the project which will summarise their activities and achievements.

Crime: Intellectual Property

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the proportion of commercial crime which is committed in the workplace in relation to intellectual property offences.

Alan Campbell: I have made no assessment of the proportion of commercial crime which is committed in the workplace in relation to intellectual property offences. The UK Intellectual Property Office (which takes the lead on the National IP Crime Strategy) publishes an annual Intellectual Property Crime Report. The 2007 report notes that the true measure of the level of IP crime in the UK is unknown but the report sets out available evidence from a number of sectors.

Crime: Newcastle

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the evidential basis is for the Prime Minister's Statement on 18 June 2008,  Official Report, column 944, that CCTV has reduced crime in Central Newcastle by 60 per cent.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 22 July 2008
	CCTV has consistently proven to reduce crime as evidenced in case studies such as the one reported in the NIJ Journal Issue No. 249 CCTV: 'Constant Cameras Track Violators', 2003.

Criminal Records Bureau: International Cooperation

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  from which countries the Criminal Records Bureau receives information regarding offences committed overseas; and how frequently such information is updated in each case;
	(2)  how many overseas nationals working in the UK have committed an offence overseas which if they had committed it in the UK would bar them from working with children or vulnerable adults.

Meg Hillier: There are two types of checks conducted by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), standard and enhanced disclosures, both of which require a detailed search for any convictions contained on the Police National Computer (PNC).
	Criminal Convictions on the Police National Computer will include convictions of UK nationals in the European Union (EU) sent to the UK Central Authority for the Exchange of Criminal Records (UKCA-ECR) as well as convictions of UK nationals sent via Interpol channels to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency. In addition the UKCA-ECR can request previous conviction history regarding EU nationals being proceeded against in a UK court of law. When there is previous conviction history, this information is input onto the PNC and is available for the CRB to access as part of their normal checking procedures.
	Information about the number of overseas nationals working in the UK that may have committed an offence overseas which, had this been committed in the UK, would have prevented them from working with children and vulnerable adults, is not available centrally. However, conviction information coming to light through the procedures described above will be disclosed to employers should a CRB check be requested. The CRB also provides an overseas information service to all its customers via its website at: www.crb.gsi.gov.uk.

Criminal Records Bureau: Standards

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 791-2W, on the Criminal Records Bureau: standards, how many Criminal Records Bureau disclosures involved  (a) a not-guilty verdict following a court appearance,  (b) a charge being issued without subsequent prosecution,  (c) an arrest without charges pressed and (d) questioning without arrest in each year since 2003-04; and how many of these were disputed.

Meg Hillier: The information requested is not recorded by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and therefore is not available.

Demonstrations: Parliament Square

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what consultation she has undertaken with  (a) Mr. Speaker and  (b) the House authorities on use of loudhailers in Parliament Square, pursuant to Mr. Speaker's Statement of 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 729;
	(2)  if she will bring forward proposals to give powers to the police to confiscate amplification equipment when it is being used in  (a) Parliament Square and  (b) other public places without permission to (i) abuse and (ii) otherwise harass people going about their lawful occasions; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what steps she plans to take to give local authorities the power to prevent  (a) unauthorised and  (b) harassing or abusive broadcasting of protest messages in public places; and what assessment she has made of the potential for use of injunctions in such circumstances;
	(4)  what effect the proposed repeal of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 will have on the law relating to  (a) unregulated and  (b) unlimited use of (i) loudhailers and (ii) other amplification equipment by protestors in Parliament Square.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 24 November 2008
	The Government's draft Constitutional Renewal Bill included proposals to repeal sections 132-138 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 which set out a framework for managing demonstrations in a designated area around Parliament. The Joint Committee on the draft Constitutional Renewal Bill published its report in July 2008 including recommendations on dealing with noise and the use of loudspeakers. The Government will be responding to the Joint Committee's report imminently, addressing those recommendations in the wider context of existing legislation to address harassment and local byelaws.
	Home Office officials met with the House authorities on 15 October 2008 to help inform the Government's response to the Joint Committee's report.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by press officers in her Department and its agencies in each of the last three financial years.

Phil Woolas: The following are the total reimbursable expenses claimed by press officers employed by the Home Office and agencies for each of the last three financial years:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 64,979.37 
			 2006-07 56,953.85 
			 2007-08 50,368.59 
		
	
	All expenses claimed were checked and authorised for payment in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code section 8.

Departmental Procurement

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 259W, on Departmental procurement, what payments her Department made to Jeeves Jewellers in 2007-08; on what dates; and for what purpose in each case.

Jacqui Smith: Pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008,  O fficial Report, column 259W, on departmental procurement, based on the purchase order data held in the Home Department's financial database, the details of the payments made to Jeeves Jewellers, who provide warrant cards, in 2007-08 are as follows:
	
		
			   Description of purchase  Value (£) 
			 March 2007 Purchase of ID card holders 3,845.19 
			 May 2007 Purchase of warrant card holders 394.50

Departmental Sick Leave

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility was in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows United Kingdom Border Agency's (UKBA) work days lost (WDL) for the last three years:
	UKBA's data prior to 2005 are unavailable due to data migration to a new management system and will incur disproportionate cost to extract.
	HO HQ, IPS and CRB data are unavailable and would incur disproportionate cost to manually check each record. However, the Home Office is currently undergoing a HR change programme, one area of which is looking at HR data, measures, and reporting. PQs such as this which are currently a disproportionate cost to answer will be fed into the change programme activity with a view to improving the position in the future.
	The HO does not report on non-departmental public bodies data.
	
		
			  Work days lost (WDL) in the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) for the last three years 
			  Days 
			  Stress related sickness (WDL)  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Work days lost (WDL) 5.3 5.4 5.3

Departmental Sick Leave

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility who gave (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders as the reason for their absence was in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows the average duration of single period sick leave taken by staff in the HO and agencies from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
	UKBA's data prior to 2005 are unavailable due to data migration to a new management system and will incur disproportionate cost to extract.
	HO HQ, IPS and CRB data are unavailable and would involve disproportionate cost to manually check each record. However, the Home Office is currently undergoing a HR change programme, one area of which is looking at HR data, measures, and reporting. PQs such as this which are currently a disproportionate cost to answer will be fed into the change programme activity with a view to improving the position in the future.
	The HO management information databases do not record sickness information in the categories the PQ refers to.
	The HO does not report on non-departmental public bodies data.
	The following table shows the average duration of single period sick leave taken by staff in the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
	
		
			  Days 
			  Stress related sickness (staff)  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA)(1) 24.6 19.3 28.1 
			 (1) UKBA's data prior to 2005 are unavailable due to data migration to a new management system and will incur disproportionate cost to extract.

Departmental Sick Leave

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility have taken sick days due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of staff of each body this represented in each year; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The table shows the proportion of staff in the Home Office and United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) who took sick leave due to stress from 2002-03 to 2007-08.
	HO management information databases do not record sickness information in the categories the PQ refers to.
	The HO does not report on non-departmental public bodies data.
	
		
			  Proportion of Home Office and United Kingdom Border Agency staff who took sick leave due to stress from 2002-03 to 2007-08 
			  Percentage 
			   Home Office Headquarters  United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA)( 1) 
			 2002-03 n/a n/a 
			 2003-04 n/a n/a 
			 2004-05 n/a n/a 
			 2005-06 4 4.12 
			 2006-07 3 5.12 
			 2007-08 3 4.86 
			 (1) UKBA's data prior to 2005 is unavailable due to data migration to a new management system and will incur disproportionate cost to extract.  Note: HO HQ, IPS and CRB data is unavailable and manually checking each HR record would incur a disproportionate cost. The Home Office is currently undergoing an HR Change Programme, one area of which focuses on HR data, measures, and reporting. PQs such as this which are currently a disproportionate cost to answer will be fed into the Change Programme activity with a view to improving the position in the future.

Departmental Sick Leave

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sick days were taken by employees in  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility due to (i) stress and (ii) mental health and behavioural disorders in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of sick days taken this represented in each case; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The table shows the proportion of sick days taken by Home Office and United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) staff that were due to stress from 2002-03 to 2007-08.
	IPS and CRB data are unavailable and would involve disproportionate cost to manually check each record. However, the Home Office is currently undergoing a HR Change Programme, one area of which is looking at HR data, measures, and reporting. PQs such as this which are currently a disproportionate cost to answer will be fed into the Change Programme activity with a view to improving the position in the future.
	The HO management information databases do not record sickness information in the categories the PQ refers to.
	The HO does not report on non-departmental public bodies data.
	
		
			  Proportion of sick days taken by Home Office and United Kingdom Border Agency staff which were due to stress from 2002-03 to 2007-08 
			  Percentage 
			   HO HQ( 1)  United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA)( 1) 
			 2002-03 n/a n/a 
			 2003-04 n/a n/a 
			 2004-05 n/a n/a 
			 2005-06 13 11.35 
			 2006-07 10 11.14 
			 2007-08 8 13.88 
			 (1) HO and UKBA's data prior to 2005 is unavailable due to data migration to a new management system and will incur disproportionate cost to extract.

Departmental Sick Leave

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days of sick leave were taken by her Department's employees in each year since 1997.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows the number of sick days taken by staff in the Home Office and its agencies between 2002-03 and 2007-08:
	
		
			  Number of sick days taken by staff in the Home Of fice and its agencies from 2002- 03 to 20 07- 08 
			  Areas  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Home Office Headquarters (HO HQ)(1) n/a n/a n/a 17,797 31,235 20,685 
			 United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA)(1) n/a n/a n/a 165,908 167,680 194,517 
			 Identity and Passport Service (IPS) 25,851 26,801 28,736 34,448 37,425 40,616 
			 Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)(2) n/a n/a 4,310 3,502 3,414 5,460 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) HO HQ and UKBA's data prior to 2005 are unavailable due to data migration to a new information management system and will incur disproportionate cost to extract. (2) CRB data prior to 2004 are unavailable and checking each HR record manually would incur a disproportionate cost. The Home Office is currently undergoing an HR Change Programme, one area of which focuses on HR data, measures, and reporting. PQs such as this which are currently a disproportionate cost to answer will be fed into the Change Programme activity with a view to improving the position in the future. 
		
	
	In 2005-06 and 2006-07 the Home Office HQ included the following departments; Communities Group, National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) which have now all transferred out. Please note that NOMS and OCJR left in May 2007 to join the new Ministry of Justice, and therefore have been included for year 2005-06 and 2006-07. Communities Group transferred to Department for Communities and Local Government in May 2006.

Departmental Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of staff in her Department have had more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of the last three years.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows the numbers and percentages of Home Office staff taking more than two periods of sick leave of less than five days over the last three years.
	Note: In 2005-06 and 2006-07 the HO HQ included the following departments; Communities Group, National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR). NOMS and OCJR left in May 2007 to join the new Ministry of Justice, and Communities Group transferred to the Department for Communities and Local Government in May 2006.
	This table shows the numbers and percentages of Home Office staff taking more than two periods of sick leave of less than five days over the last three years.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			   Staff headcount( 1)  Percentage headcount  Staff headcount( 1)  Percentage headcount  Staff headcount( 1)  Percentage headcount 
			 Home Office headquarters (HO HQ) 529 11 934 20 681 21 
			 United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) 6,151 38 6,338 36 7,590 41 
			 Identity and Passport Service (IPS) 1,515 36 1,556 36 1,530 34 
			 Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) 117 29 106 28 116 28 
			 (1) Staff headcount is based on paid permanent sick staff only as dictated by the Cabinet Office sickness methodology

Deportation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people were recommended for deportation from England and Wales in each of the last three years, broken down by county;
	(2)  how many people were recommended for deportation from England and Wales on more than one occasion in each of the last three years, broken down by county.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply. 
	The following table shows the number of recommendations for deportation orders issued by judges in the Crown Court in England and Wales in each of the last three financial years.
	Figures are broken down according to the county in which the relevant Crown Court centre is located. This may differ from the county of residence of the defendant and other key parties involved in the court case. Some counties do not have a Crown Court centre located within their boundaries; these are not shown in the table.
	During this period there were 28 occasions where a defendant was the subject of a recommendation for a deportation order having already been the subject of a previous such recommendation at some point since April 2000 (the earliest point at which data are available). There were six such occurrences in 2005-06, seven in 2006-07 and 15 in 2007-08. However, these data are not broken down to county level.
	These figures only show judicial recommendations for deportation made during criminal proceedings in the Crown Court. More general immigration statistics can be found on the Home Office website;
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Number of recommendations for deportation orders issued by judges in the Crown Court in England and Wales, by county, 2005-06 to 2007-08 
			  County  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Avon 22 29 28 
			 Bedfordshire 19 42 41 
			 Berkshire 9 11 48 
			 Buckinghamshire 1 16 15 
			 Cambridgeshire 3 19 28 
			 Cheshire 4 4 10 
			 Clwyd — 1 10 
			 Cumbria 3 4 5 
			 Derbyshire 9 6 7 
			 Devon 1 4 3 
			 Dorset 5 13 20 
			 Durham — 3 2 
			 Essex 3 32 44 
			 Gloucestershire — 14 3 
			 Greater London 1,055 1,023 1,203 
			 Greater Manchester 47 94 135 
			 Hampshire 5 21 37 
			 Herefordshire and Worcestershire 3 5 7 
			 Hertfordshire 10 23 4 
			 Humberside 20 21 12 
			 Kent 25 129 139 
			 Lancashire 3 5 20 
			 Leicestershire 14 29 61 
			 Lincolnshire 10 5 3 
			 Merseyside 9 20 15 
			 Norfolk 8 23 13 
			 North Yorkshire 3 15 36 
			 Northamptonshire 24 12 27 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 13 11 
			 Oxfordshire 6 11 29 
			 Shropshire 1 2 2 
			 Somerset — 1 — 
			 South Glamorgan 11 20 33 
			 South Yorkshire 33 35 57 
			 Staffordshire 8 16 28 
			 Suffolk 1 13 16 
			 Surrey — 7 12 
			 Sussex 78 229 194 
			 Tyne and Wear 2 16 13 
			 Warwickshire 11 21 36 
			 West Glamorgan — 1 10 
			 West Midlands 26 48 91 
			 West Yorkshire 15 16 21 
			 Wiltshire 1 8 8 
			 Total 1,541 2,080 2,537

Drugs: Crime

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crack house closures there were in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in the last three years.

Alan Campbell: The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 introduced the provision for police to serve a closure notice on any premises that is believed by the police to be used for the production, supply or use of Class A drugs, and which is causing serious nuisance or disorder.
	The Home Office collects data on the number of closure orders issued through the CDRP Survey, and police forces supply these data on a voluntary basis. Latest available data from this survey are consolidated to cover the period from October 2003 to September 2007 and show that in the Hertfordshire police force area 14 such orders have been served.
	It is not possible to further break down data to constituency level (i.e. Hemel Hempstead) as this level of detail is not held centrally.

Entry Clearances: Biometrics

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of  (a) the likely period of time it will take a police constable to check a person's biometric visa against the Border and Immigration Agency's database and  (b) the technology requirements needed by police forces to check the identity of a person with a biometric visa.

Vernon Coaker: There is currently no facility for police officers to check the holder of a biometric visa (Identity card) against the United Kingdom Border Agency database. An assessment of the technology requirements to develop such a capability has not taken place.

Entry Clearances: Telephone Services

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average response time to a call to the MP hotline dealing with visa cases was in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 20 November 2008
	The vast majority of calls on the MPs hotline to our Visa Services Directorate in the last 12 months have been answered either immediately or within 24 hours. Unfortunately, some delays did occur in October due to a shortage of staff.

Entry Clearances: Telephone Services

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of calls to the MP hotline dealing with visa cases  (a) were answered by a person and  (b) went to a voice message answering machine in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 20 November 2008
	Records held by Visa Services Directorate's of calls to the MPs hotline do not show whether the calls were answered immediately or after receipt of a voicemail message. However, the directorate has advised that the majority of calls are answered immediately. If the MPs hotline is engaged, calls are diverted to a voicemail facility and messages are answered within 24 hours.

Football: Arrests

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when statistics on football-related arrests and banning orders for 2007-08 will be published.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 10 November 2008
	 These statistics will be published on 25 November 2008.

Genetics: Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of recorded crimes were detected using DNA from the National DNA database in each month since it became operational; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: The number and proportion of recorded crimes detected in which a DNA match was available is shown in table 1. Data on the number of crimes detected with a DNA match are not collected on a monthly basis; and the figures are therefore presented by year. The figures provided are for the years 2002-03 to 2007-08, as the recorded crime figures before and after 2002-03 are not directly comparable.
	The figures for the number of crimes detected in which a DNA match was available only include crimes detected in which a DNA match was reported by the National DNA Database (NDNAD). They do not include DNA matches which arise through case work in serious crime, which usually involve comparing DNA profiles in a forensic laboratory; this data is not collected centrally. It is also important to note that the detections are achieved through integrated criminal investigation, not through DNA alone.
	The presentation of crimes detected with DNA as a proportion of total recorded crime undervalues the relative contribution of DNA to the crime detection rate. It should be noted that the majority of recorded crimes do not have a crime scene (for example, minor assault, drugs offences, theft, fraud etc.) and do not have a crime scene examination. In 2007-08, just over 854,000 crimes had a crime scene examination (17 per cent. of recorded crimes). In those crimes which have a crime scene examination, some do not yield any forensic material (DNA or fingerprints). In 2007-08, potential DNA material was collected at 102,400 crimes; and of these, 41,800 crimes yielded DNA crime scene samples of sufficient quantity and quality for profiling and loading to the NDNAD. Of the 41,800 crimes in which a crime scene sample profile was loaded, a match was generated in 37,375 crimes (this represents 89 per cent. of crimes where DNA material was loaded to the NDNAD).
	The proportion of 'crimes detected in which a DNA match was available', of those, 'crimes where potential DNA material was collected' is shown in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Detected crimes in which a DNA match was available ('DNA detections')  Additional detections arising from the DNA match( 1)  Total detected crimes in which a DNA match was available or played a part  Total recorded crime( 2)  Proportion of 'total crimes detected in which a DNA match was available or played a part' of total recorded crime (Percentage) 
			 2002-03 21,098 12,717 33,815 5,974,960 0.57 
			 2003-04 20,489 15,899 36,388 6,013,759 0.61 
			 2004-05 19,873 15,732 35,605 5,637,511 0.63 
			 2005-06 20,349 19,960 40,309 5,555,174 0.73 
			 2006-07 19,949 21,199 41,148 5,427,559 0.76 
			 2007-08 17,614 15,420 33,034 4,950,671 0.67 
			 (1) Additional detections may result from the original crime with the DNA match due to the identification of further offences through forensic linkage or through admission by the offender. (2) The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced in 2002-03 and figures before and after that date are not directly comparable. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Detected crimes in which a DNA match was available ('DNA detections')  Additional detections arising from the DNA match( 1)  Total detected crimes in which a DNA match was available or played a part  Crimes where potential DNA material collected  Proportion of 'crimes detected in which a DNA match was available' of 'crimes where potential DNA material collected' (Percentage) 
			 2002-03 21,098 12,717 33,815 101,458 33.33 
			 2003-04 20,489 15,899 36,388 104,983 34.66 
			 2004-05 19,873 15,732 35,605 109,051 32.65 
			 2005-06 20,349 19,960 40,309 113,025 35.66 
			 2006-07 19,949 21,199 41,148 112,448 36.59 
			 2007-08 17,614 15,420 33,034 102,434 32.25 
			 (1) Additional detections may result from the original crime with the DNA match due to the identification of further offences through forensic linkage or through admission by the offender.

Genetics: Databases

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people there are on the national DNA database, broken down by  (a) local authority area,  (b) ethnicity and  (c) sex;
	(2)  how many people have asked to have their profile removed from the national DNA database; and how many requests have been refused.

Alan Campbell: Information held on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) is available on the basis of the police force which added the DNA profile, not the local authority area. For a breakdown of the NDNAD by police force and ethnicity, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green(Lynne Featherstone) on 27 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 677-9W.
	A breakdown of the NDNAD by sex, as at 30 September 2008, is given in the table. 'Unassigned' means that the police officer who took the sample did not record the individual's sex. The number of profiles is not the same as the number of individuals. This is because a number of subject profiles on the NDNAD are replicates, that is, a profile for a person has been loaded to the NDNAD on more than one occasion. This may arise for a number of reasons, such as a person giving a different name on different occasions they are arrested, or because of the upgrading of profiles. It is estimated that 13.3 per cent. of the subject profiles held on the NDNAD are replicates.
	In relation to the number of people who have requested the removal of their record from the NDNAD, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 2 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 909-10W.
	
		
			  Sex  Subject Profiles  Estimated Individuals 
			 Male 3,941,233 3,417,049 
			 Female 1,029,873 892,900 
			 Unassigned 38,841 33,675 
			 Total 5,009,947 4,343,624

Genetics: Databases

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in  (a) Greater Manchester,  (b) Cumbria,  (c) Cheshire,  (d) Lancashire and  (e) Merseyside have their profile stored on the national DNA database, broken down by ethnicity.

Alan Campbell: Information held on the national DNA database (NDNAD) is recorded on the basis of the police force which took the DNA sample. Thus figures for any particular police force include residents from outside the force area arrested and sampled by the police force, and exclude residents in the force area who were arrested and sampled by police forces elsewhere.
	The number of profiles is not the same as the number of individuals. This is because a number of subject profiles on the NDNAD are replicates, that is a profile for a person has been loaded to the NDNAD on more than one occasion. This may arise for a number of reasons, such as a person giving a different name on different occasions they are arrested, or because of upgrading of profiles. It is estimated that 13.3 per cent. of the subject profiles held on the entire NDNAD are replicates. However, this rate may vary between police forces, so figures for the number of individuals are not given for particular police forces.
	Ethnicity is recorded on the basis of the judgment of the police officer taking the sample as to which of six broad ethnic appearance categories the person belongs to. 'Unknown' means that no ethnic appearance information was recorded by the officer taking the sample.
	
		
			  Force  Ethnic appearance  Subject profiles retained at 17 November 2008 
			 Cheshire Unknown 3,161 
			  Asian 942 
			  Black 928 
			  Chinese, Japanese or SE Asian 313 
			  Middle Eastern 290 
			  White—North European 78,695 
			  White—South European 787 
			  Total 85,116 
			
			 Cumbria Unknown 1,628 
			  Asian 248 
			  Black 178 
			  Chinese, Japanese or SE Asian 112 
			  Middle Eastern 34 
			  White—North European 46,621 
			  White—South European 193 
			  Total 49,014 
			
			 Greater Manchester Unknown 7,535 
			  Asian 18,259 
			  Black 14,786 
			  Chinese, Japanese or SE Asian 1,555 
			  Middle Eastern 1,910 
			  White—North European 213,983 
			  White—South European 3,379 
			  Total 261,407 
			 Lancashire Unknown 18,904 
			  Asian 8,025 
			  Black 1,640 
			  Chinese, Japanese or SE Asian 236 
			  Middle Eastern 257 
			  White—North European 120,983 
			  White—South European 1,131 
			  Total 151,176 
			
			 Merseyside Unknown 9,469 
			  Asian 1,101 
			  Black 3,584 
			  Chinese, Japanese or SE Asian 614 
			  Middle Eastern 781 
			  White—North European 123,341 
			  White—South European 1,447 
			  Total 140,337

Hizb ut-Tahrir

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the threat posed to UK security by Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Jacqui Smith: Although I am unable to comment on intelligence matters, I can confirm that Hizb ut-Tahrir, along with other organisations which cause us concern, is kept under continuous review. As and when new material comes to light it is considered and the organisation reassessed as part of that process.

Human Trafficking

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken in support of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking; what steps have been taken in the UK as a result of the UK high level delegation's participation in the Vienna Forum on the Global Initiative held on 12 to 15 February 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Human trafficking is largely a cross border crime and the UK recognises the need for effective international collaboration to tackling this horrendous problem. The UK Government have supported UN.GIFT from the outset. The formal launch took place in London on 26 March 2007 at which my hon. Friend the Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism and Policing spoke on behalf of the Government. The UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking provides an important forum to discuss and facilitate global action against trafficking.
	The Vienna Forum, at which my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Policing, Crime and Security also spoke, delivering a keynote speech, provided an excellent opportunity to outline the UK's approach to tackling human trafficking and to develop new relationships and enhance existing ones with international partners.
	Recommendations from the Vienna Forum discussions are reflected in the UK Action Plan on Human Trafficking and are being taken forward as part of our on-going work. Examples include, further demonstrating our existing commitment to adopting a victim-centred, human rights approach to preventing and combating human trafficking by ratifying the Council of Europe Convention, which we are on-track to do by the end of the year; conducting research and analysis into the nature and extent of trafficking through the Police and the UK Human Trafficking Centre; on-going co-operation at operational level at home and abroad between key agencies like SOCA and its counterparts and at home between SOCA, the UKHTC, police, Government departments and NGOs especially in terms of investigations and victim identification; and continuation of the 'Blue Blindfold' awareness campaign led by the UK Human Trafficking centre.

Human Trafficking: Romania

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with  (a) other EU member states and  (b) EU institutions on the trafficking of Roma children from other EU member states to the UK.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 10 November 2008
	 We are very concerned about the trafficking of Roma children from certain EU member states by organised criminal networks for the purpose of criminal exploitation.
	In addition to targeted operations led by the Metropolitan Police Service to bring the traffickers to justice, officials are working with the Romanian embassy in London to agree a protocol for the safe return of trafficked children where it is in their best interests.
	On 1 September 2008, the Metropolitan Police Service signed an agreement with Romania, setting up a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Human Trafficking. This is the first such JIT on human trafficking in Europe.
	No direct discussions have been held with EU institutions on this issue.

Human Trafficking: Romania

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the extent of trafficking of Roma children from other EU member states to the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 10 November 2008
	Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Police Service estimated that more than 200 Roma children were being exploited in London and other locations in the UK by Romanian organised crime gangs. The Romanian police have identified 1,300 children whom they believe have been trafficked from Romania to western Europe for criminal exploitation.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2008,  Official Report, column 44W, on identity cards, where a single transaction creates an audit trail relating to more than one of the three biometric, biographical and administrative databases, whether the multiple audit trails will be brought together to create a fourth separate audit trail record to show what checks have taken place against a single transaction.

Meg Hillier: The Identity and Passport Service is currently in the process of procuring the different systems that will enable the establishment of the national identity register. This process will involve the creation of varying systems design from participating bidders on the basis of outcome-based requirements. They can propose a number of different technical solutions to deliver such requirements. As a result, the detailed manner in which the relevant systems will work together in order to combine, when necessary, information from different audit records on each system has not been finalised.

Identity Cards: Contracts

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the expected delivery dates are for IT contracts in relation to the identity card scheme, including those that have been awarded and those that are yet to be awarded.

Jacqui Smith: The following table sets out the expected award dates for the IT enabled services contracts that have either been awarded or being procured. In the case of the 'Application and Enrolment' and 'National Biometric Identity Service', services will begin with transition of existing contracts before future capabilities to support the passport or identity card process commence.
	
		
			  Contract  Award 
			 Early releases (awarded to Thales) August 2008 
			 Application and Enrolment Second quarter 2009 
			 National Biometric Identity Service Second quarter 2009

Immigrants: English Language

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department had discussions with the Department for Children, Schools and Families or the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on ETS before the decision to approve ETS's Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system.

Phil Woolas: The selection of organisations to provide independent assessment of an applicant's English Language skills for Immigration purposes has no impact on, or relevance to, either the Department for Children, Schools and Families or the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
	Consequently it was not considered necessary to consult either department before the decision was taken to approve ETS's Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system.

Immigrants: English Language

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what references her Department obtained in order to verify the record of ETS's past performance in delivering the Test of English as a Foreign Language before the decision to approve ETS's Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system;
	(2)  what assessment was made of ETS's previous record of delivery of the Test of English as a Foreign Language before the decision to approve ETS's Test of English as a Foreign Language for use within the United Kingdom immigration system.

Phil Woolas: The UK Border Agency under took an assessment exercise to ensure that all the tests included on the list of approved English Language tests for tier 1 satisfied our required standards of assessment and test security. In support of their application, ETS provided information on:
	Award security features
	Test methodologies
	Test security
	Test verification procedures
	How ETS mapped their test to the Common European Framework Reference for Languages: Learning, Training, assessment (CEFR)
	How ETS train their test markers and how marking standards are set
	The bona fides of their organisation
	The results of ETS's English language tests are recognised by employers and institutions the world wide. However, the actual procurement of testing services is between ETS and the individual applicant taking their test.

Immigration: Biometrics

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether foreign nationals who are issued with biometric immigration documents before the National Identity Register has been established will have their details entered on the Register when it has been set up.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 20 November 2008
	Foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control and apply for biometric immigration documents before the national identity register is established will not have to enter their biometric details onto the register. However, once biometric immigration documents are designated under the Identity Cards Act 2006, foreign nationals applying for a designated biometric immigration document will be required to provide their details for the register.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the fees are for applications made in person at public inquiry offices for  (a) indefinite leave to remain and  (b) leave to remain.

Jacqui Smith: The level of fees for immigration applications is publicly available; they are published on the UKBA website at the following link:
	http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ukresidency/cost/
	A copy of the web page is available in the Library.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the letter of 11 April from the hon. Member for Warley on Mr. Runjit Singh.

Phil Woolas: My predecessor wrote to the hon. Member on 18 June 2008.

Members: Correspondence

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters of 1 August, 18 August and 17 October 2008 from the hon. Member for Congleton on behalf of her constituent Mr. J Burt.

Vernon Coaker: We have had to consult on this and I shall reply to the hon. Member shortly.

National Anti-Fraud Network

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role local authorities will have in the National Anti-Fraud Network.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) is funded by subscriptions from local authorities and exists to provide them with data, intelligence and best practice services. As of March 2008, 370 local authorities subscribed to this service.

National Policing Information Agency: Correspondence

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the National Policing Information Agency plans to respond to the letter of 1 September 2008 from Lingotran Ltd of Christchurch.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 18 November 2008
	The National Policing Improvement Agency responded to the letter from Lingotran Ltd of Christchurch on 21 November 2008.

Offences Against Children

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports of child abuse were made to the police in the year ending March  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2007 and  (e) 2008.

Alan Campbell: The recorded crime statistics are based on legal definitions and the available statistics relate to offences recorded by the police. Statistics for the relevant recorded offences where the victim can be identified as a child are given in table 1.
	Data for table 2 have been extracted from the Homicide Index and give the number of offences recorded as homicide where the age of the victim is under 16 and the apparent circumstances of killing is child/sexual abuse.
	
		
			  Table 1: Selected offences where the victim was child recorded by the police in England and Wales, 2002-03 to 2007-08( 1) 
			  Offence  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Cruelty to or neglect of children 6,083 5,724 5,045 4,917 5,299 
			 Abandoning a child under the age of two years 49 49 49 23 19 
			 Sexual assault on a male child under 13 n/a 1,227 1,394 1,237 1,118 
			 Rape of a female child under 16 n/a 3,014 3,153 2,853 2,418 
			 Rape of a female child under 13 n/a 970 1,388 1,524 1,472 
			 Rape of a male child under 16 n/a 322 292 261 235 
			 Rape of a male child under 13 n/a 297 364 458 427 
			 Sexual assault on a female child under 13 n/a 4,391 4,647 4,245 3,976 
			 Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 212 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sexual activity involving a child under 13 n/a 1,510 1,950 1,936 1,836 
			 Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16(2) 1,911 436 138 67 33 
			 Sexual activity involving a child under 16 n/a 2,546 3,283 3,208 3,100 
			 Abuse of children through prostitution and pornography n/a 99 124 101 110 
			 Gross indecency with a child(2) 1,987 398 120 64 150 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 introduced in May 2004 altered the definition and coverage of sexual offences. (2) A small number of offences continue to be recorded relating to offences repealed by the Sexual Offences Act 2003; while these may continue to be legitimately recorded for offences committed prior to May 2004 it is also possible that some may have been recorded in these old categories in error, so recent changes based on small numbers should be interpreted with caution. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offences currently( 1)  recorded as homicide where the age of victim is under 16 and the apparent circumstances of killing is child/sexual abuse: England and Wales, 2003-04 to 2006-07( 2,3) 
			  Year offence initially recorded as homicide( 2)  Number of victims 
			 2003-04 26 
			 2004-05 26 
			 2005-06 18 
			 2006-07 16 
			 (1) As at 12 November 2007; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made. (3) Data for 2007-08 are not yet published.

Offensive Weapons: Young People

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of recent trends in levels of teenage knife crime.

Jacqui Smith: The number of 13 to 19 year-old victims of homicide involving a sharp instrument rose from 26 in 2000-01 to 27 in 2006-07 indicating overall a slight increase.
	Surveys indicate that young people may carry knives out of fear of mugging, or being bullied, or to gain respect and status within a group or gang.
	In 2006 we decided to improve data collection to get a clearer picture of the scale of knife crime. These figures were published on 17 July show that there were 22,151 offences of serious violence involving knives (ie attempted murder, wounding with intent to commit GBH, wounding or inflicting GBH (ie without intent), or robbery) in 2007-08. This was the first year that these figures were available and will in future provide information on trends for these offences. These figures are not broken down by age group.
	We take knife crime extremely seriously and have announced a programme of action, based on the successful Tackling Gangs Action Programme model, to combat this issue. The action includes increased enforcement activity including the use of search equipment, prevention through educational initiatives such as Be Safe, development of the knife referral project to ensure that young people who are convicted of carrying knives but who do not receive a custodial sentence are required to attend a weapons awareness programme. We have also launched a £3 million three-year publicity campaign designed by young people focusing on the risks and consequences of knife carrying. This is being delivered via a social networking site, radio advertisements, posters and viral video clips.

Police: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) police officers,  (b) police constables,  (c) police sergeants and  (d) police community support officers were working in the London Borough of Bexley in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008 to date.

Vernon Coaker: Police personnel statistics are not collected by borough. Data are collected by basic command unit (BCU), although they are not collected by rank at this level. However, Bexley is a BCU within the Metropolitan Police.
	BCU figures are published annually as a supplementary table to the Police Service Strength Statistical Bulletin. The current publication can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and previous years' publication can be found in the House of Commons Library.
	There were 371 full-time equivalent police officers in the BCU of Bexley as at 31 March 2007, and 361 such officers as at 31 March 2008.
	There were 87 full-time equivalent police community support officers in the BCU of Bexley as at 31 March 2007, and 106 such officers as at 31 March 2008.

Police: Driving Offences

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police drivers have been prosecuted or disciplined for driving offences committed while at work in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Information is not collected centrally on the occupation of offenders unless specific to the offence legislation.

Police: Gwent

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect on the delivery of policing in Gwent of the proposed changes to the level of police grant for the forthcoming financial year.

Vernon Coaker: The Government announced last year provisional funding totals for the three year period 2008-09 to 2010-11. The stability of funding provided by a three year settlement enables police authorities to develop medium term financial strategies and control their spending. We will finalise grant allocation for 2009-10 shortly.
	Gwent police authority received £80.6 million in general grant for 2008-09, an increase of 2.5 per cent. (£2.0 million) over 2007-08. This is in line with the minimum increase guaranteed for all police authorities in England and Wales. Gwent benefits from this decision. If the needs based police funding formula had been strictly applied it would have received £2.3 million less.
	Between 2006-07 and 2007-08, the Gwent police force area experienced a nine per cent. fall in overall crime, a 20 per cent. fall in theft of a motor vehicle, and violence against the person had fallen by 13 per cent. during the same period.

Police: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the projected savings are of the 2006 Police Pension Scheme changes in relation to public sector pensions for the police.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 824W.

Police: Resignations

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers resigned from police forces in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 October 2008
	The available data are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Police officer resignations( 1)  by police force area (FTE)( 2)  from 2005-06 to 2007-08 
			   2005-06( 3, 4)  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Avon and Somerset 77 35 48 
			 Bedfordshire 24 23 31 
			 Cambridgeshire 26 28 12 
			 Cheshire 37 24 17 
			 Cleveland 24 25 23 
			 Cumbria 11 17 11 
			 Derbyshire 20 41 39 
			 Devon and Cornwall 44 34 38 
			 Dorset 22 19 26 
			 Durham 15 16 19 
			 Essex 79 81 73 
			 Gloucestershire 19 20 18 
			 Greater Manchester 186 159 136 
			 Hampshire 64 49 46 
			 Hertfordshire 55 63 50 
			 Humberside 31 34 40 
			 Kent 66 49 57 
			 Lancashire 26 32 34 
			 Leicestershire 45 27 53 
			 Lincolnshire 20 16 16 
			 London, City of 11 11 16 
			 Merseyside 83 61 41 
			 Metropolitan Police 337 531 360 
			 Norfolk 22 24 16 
			 Northamptonshire 24 19 25 
			 Northumbria 38 49 46 
			 North Yorkshire 17 32 31 
			 Nottinghamshire 14 28 23 
			 South Yorkshire 40 38 40 
			 Staffordshire 24 22 24 
			 Suffolk 14 12 23 
			 Surrey 37 46 47 
			 Sussex 82 76 76 
			 Thames Valley 131 86 78 
			 Warwickshire 12 18 20 
			 West Mercia 19 38 32 
			 West Midlands 137 105 91 
			 West Yorkshire 89 65 84 
			 Wiltshire 26 16 28 
			 Dyfed-Powys 12 8 12 
			 Gwent 20 16 24 
			 North Wales 27 22 16 
			 South Wales 29 39 80 
			 Total 2,133 2,151 2,020 
			 (1) Does not include transfers to other England and Wales forces. (2) Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. (3) Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. (4) Over 1,000 police officers previously working with the National Crime Squad (NCS) and the National Criminal Intelligence Squad (NCIS) left their home force to join the Serious Organised Crime Agency when it vested on 1 April 2006.

Police: Retirement

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in Derbyshire  (a) retired and  (b) took early retirement on health grounds in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The numbers of police officer medical retirements have been published each year by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in their annual report. HMIC have advised that these data will no longer be published in their annual report and that the data for 2004-05 would be the last series of data to be published.
	I have been advised by Derbyshire police of the data in the table subsequent to 2004-05.
	
		
			  Police officer retirements in Derbyshire( 1) 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Ordinary 52 65 92 80 60 
			 Ill health 2 9 3 5 3 
			 (1) Figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number

Secure Accommodation

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with youth and social service practitioners on alternatives to long-term secure accommodation for young people vulnerable to sexual exploitation; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	My officials have discussed the use of secure accommodation with stakeholders in the course of developing guidance aimed at safeguarding children and young people from sexual exploitation. Respondents to the recent consultation exercise on the draft guidance have also expressed views about this.
	In some cases, it may be necessary to secure the safety of a child or young person who is being sexually exploited by removing them to a safe place. In general, they will need good quality placements with experience of building trusting relationships and skills at containing young people. These placements do not have to be secure. Placing a child or young person in secure accommodation should be considered only in extreme circumstances, when it is necessary to secure their safety from perpetrators.

Telecommunications: Databases

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 5 November 2008,  Official Report, column 616W, on telecommunications: database, whether one of the proposed options to be included in the consultation paper will be giving local authorities access to the database of communications.

Vernon Coaker: The forthcoming consultation will set out a range of options to ensure that communications data is available in the future. Local authorities can currently access subscriber and service use data and there are no plans to change the type of data that they can access.

UK Border Agency: Disciplinary Proceedings

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) times disciplinary proceedings were brought and  (b) officials were disciplined by the UK Border Agency and its predecessor bodies in each of the last three years.

Phil Woolas: This information could be subject to change and numbers can go up as well as down depending on a number of factors, for example successful appeals will result in records being removed.
	The table provides data for the last three financial years. The figures for the number of disciplinary proceedings brought against staff encompass attendance management, discipline and performance management as a total figure.
	It should also be noted that with regard to Attendance Management and Performance Management, an individual may have several separate entries under these procedures as there may have been more than one occasion where an individual was absent which required action under the policy or had performance related issues that also required action under the relevant policy.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of disciplinary proceedings (inclusive of attendance/performance management and discipline)  Number of staff 
			 2005-06 489 436 
			 2006-07 966 848 
			 2007-08 1,783 1,548

Vetting

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks and  (b) enhanced CRB checks were carried out in each of the last five years.

Meg Hillier: I refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1446W.

Vetting: Greater London

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of  (a) the average length of time taken by the police in each London borough to provide information in support of applications for Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance and  (b) the average length of time for the completion of CRB clearance once police have been asked to provide this information in the last 12 months, broken down by London borough.

Meg Hillier: Data concerning the average time taken by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to complete a disclosure by police force area and the average length of time for the completion of CRB clearance once police have been asked to provide this information are not collated by the bureau.
	The CRB operates to a set of published service standards (PSS) which include to issue 90 per cent. of standard disclosures within 10 days and 90 per cent. of enhanced disclosures within 28 days. The CRB has met the PSS set in October 2008.
	The CRB has been supporting those forces that have encountered problems in meeting their targets by a range of measures including the provision of additional resources, monitoring performance, providing demand forecasting data and assistance in introducing new IT initiatives.
	A revised service level agreement came into effect in April 2006 between the CRB and the 43 police forces of England and Wales. This agreement, which was agreed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), places an additional focus on delivery and the responsibilities of chief officers and ACPO to ensure that the obligations within the service level agreement are met. Monthly performance figures for each of the police forces for their part of the disclosure service are now published on the CRB website at
	www.crb.gsi.gov.uk.

Vetting: Young People

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many under 18-year-olds have had Criminal Records Bureau checks in 2008-09 to date.

Meg Hillier: During the financial year 2008-09 to date the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has issued 80,806 disclosures to applicants under the age of 18 years.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer question 21456, tabled on 24 June 2008, on the prosecution of US personnel.

Alan Campbell: I replied to the hon. Gentleman on 10 November 2008,  Official Report, column 783W.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Compulsory Purchase: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many compulsory purchase orders have been issued in each of the principal seaside towns in England in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Council Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) council houses,  (b) housing association properties,  (c) homeless families placed in temporary accommodation and  (d) families on the housing waiting list there are in each local authority in England.

Iain Wright: Information on the number of social dwellings owned by local authorities is published on the Communities and Local Government website in Table 116 at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/140882.xls.
	Copies of this table have been deposited in the Library of the House.
	Information on the number of social dwellings owned by registered social landlords (RSLs) is published on the Communities and Local Government website in Table 115 at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/140879.xls.
	Copies of this table have been deposited in the Library of the House.
	Information about English local authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level. Data collected include the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority must secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available.
	Information on the numbers of households with dependant children (including expectant mothers with no other dependant children) in temporary accommodation is reported quarterly by local authorities as at the last day of each quarter. The most recent figures reported by local authorities were for 30 June 2008 and are provided in a table, which has been placed in the Library.
	Information about social housing waiting lists is collected in respect of households rather than families. Where local authorities and registered social landlords operate a common register, households registered with the RSL will be included in the data.
	However, registered social landlords are independent bodies and can keep their own waiting lists. Information on the number of households on local authorities' waiting lists is published on the Communities and Local Government website in Table 600 at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/144458.xls.
	Copies of this table have been deposited in the Library of the House.
	Local authorities in England report the number of households on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. The size of the waiting list is not an indicator of absolute need; it is only useful as a broad indicator of housing demand in an area. Not everyone on the waiting list is necessarily in urgent housing need. The waiting list includes those who consider social housing as their preferred or one of a number of housing options, and those who decide to get onto the waiting list ladder before they need or want to move house.

Departmental Land

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much surplus land  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies own; and what the (i) area and (ii) estimated monetary value of each site is;
	(2)  what plans she has for each of the sites owned by her Department and registered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land; what construction projects are planned for each site; and when she expects each site to be returned to use.

Iain Wright: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold any surplus land. English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, is an executive non-departmental public body for which my Department has responsibility. A core part of English Partnerships' work involves making the best use of the available land supply by identifying surplus previously-developed land which can be brought back into effective re-use for development, particularly housing development. My Department has similar responsibilities for the Fire Service College, which is also an executive agency and has responsibility for the delivery of training in support of fire-fighters and public safety.
	English Partnerships and the Fire Service College hold land in the context of and incidental to their core businesses. To date, land that has been identified as surplus by English Partnerships and the Fire Service College totals about 17 sites covering over 250ha. The total estimated value of the sites is about £7 million.
	The Register of Surplus Public Sector Land is managed by English Partnerships on behalf of my Department and HM Treasury. The Treasury publication 'Managing Public Money' requires all central government bodies and their agencies to place details of their surplus sites on the Register. The Register provides a single reference point for all participating public sector bodies on the available national supply of surplus land and helps to ensure that wider Government objectives, including housing needs and regional economic and housing strategies, are factored into land disposal decisions. English Partnerships publishes a quarterly return of surplus sites available on the Register via its website at
	http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/rspsl.htm.
	The most current information is on the September 2008 issue of the Register.
	Local planning authorities are responsible for preparing their development plan documents as part of their local development framework. While a public sector body selling land may discuss potential future uses with the local planning authority and seek planning permission, it is the market that will finally determine when individual sites come back into effective use and the exact form of the development, taking account of the local planning needs and requirement.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms her Department has in place to increase funding to local authorities when there is increased demand for disabled facilities grants.

Iain Wright: The Government regard the Disabled Facilities Grant programme as a very important means to help disabled and older people continue to live as independently as possible in their own homes. That is why we have more than doubled the Government funds available for the programme from £57 million in 1997 to £146 million in 2008 with an increase of £10 million in each of the subsequent years making the budget £166 million by 2010. This represents a significant investment in this important programme.

Eco-towns

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the central budget for the eco-town programme is;
	(2)  how much has been spent to date by her Department and its agencies in relation to the eco-town programme, broken down by main budget heading.

Iain Wright: The eco-towns policy was announced in the Housing Green Paper in July 2007 and it has been developed alongside our housing policies. The costs for developing the policy form part of the Department's running costs and are set out in the Departmental Annual Report, Community, opportunity, prosperity. Future allocations to support infrastructure and local authority expenditure in relation to any of the sites will be drawn from the growth funding made available in CSR07. However the bulk of investment needed to create an eco-town will come from the private sector.
	In managing the programme we are drawing on policy expertise in terms of housing, planning and sustainable communities from the Department and its agencies. However certain aspects of the programme in relation to the assessment process have required us to seek specific technical expertise, for example on the sustainability appraisal. The costs related to this technical consultancy, along with those for marketing and consultation are set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Funding 
			 Sustainability Appraisal £80,000 (contract value—this work is not complete) 
			 Financial assessment £720,800 (contract value—this work is not complete) 
			 Challenge Panel (1)5,500 
			 TCPA work on practical guidance and best practice advice to local authorities and other stakeholders, including running the Eco-towns Expert Group, running events with stakeholders and producing worksheets £225,000 (2007-08) £199,300 committed funding for 2008-09 
			 Local authority assessments - the Department has agreed to contribute to local authority costs in supporting the assessment process. Final figures for each authority have yet to be agreed. Final cost to be agreed 
			 Communications—this includes spending on market research, regional media, design work, and digital media £385,200 
			 1 The Challenge Panel members were entitled to claim the Government rate of £350 per day when working for the Panel.  Note: All figures for expenditure have been rounded to the nearest hundred. However, please note that a large proportion of the overall figure represents contract value, not all of which has been realised (work is still to be completed).

Eco-towns

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the budget is for the eco-town programme; and how much has been spent, broken down by type of category of expenditure.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 25 November 2008,  Official Report, Column (PQs 230306 and 230312.

Eco-towns

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on consultants' fees for work on eco-towns in the last 12 months.

Iain Wright: Over the last 12 months the Department has spent approximately £670,000 on consultancy fees in relation to the eco-towns programme. This has been to support our assessment of the eco-town locations and schemes, including publication of the Sustainability Appraisal on 4 November 2008. This work will also assist local authorities considering planning applications for schemes in those locations announced in the final shortlist of locations with potential to be an eco-town next year, following the second stage consultation.

Green-belt

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many gross hectares of Green Belt land, excluding additions to the Green Belt, have been developed in each year since 1996 for which figures are available, broken down by region.

Iain Wright: Decisions about the use of land which is designated as green belt, or whether land should be designated as green belt, must be taken in accordance with the policy in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2 on green belts. This policy has performed an important role in preventing urban sprawl and protecting the countryside for 50 years. There is a presumption against inappropriate development in green belt but the policy allows for some development there, such as to support agriculture or forestry or as limited infill in existing villages. Development that is inappropriate may be permitted only where the benefits clearly outweigh any harm to the green belt and where very special circumstances are also demonstrated. The Government remain committed to current green belt policy and have no intention of making changes to it.
	Detailed information of the designated 1996 green belt boundary is not centrally held. Information on designated green belt boundaries is held for only 1997 and 2007. Land use change statistics on the green belt are now based on the 2007 designated boundary, but as the question specifically excludes additions to the green belt since 1996, in this case the 1997 designated boundary has been used.
	Estimates for land changing to developed use within the designated 1997 green belt are provided for 1996 to 2003 as this is the most up to date information on changes to the 1997 green belt available. All the estimates in the attached table reflect development each year within land designated as green belt in 1997 irrespective of whether or not the land was actually designated as green belt at the time of change.
	The total for the area of green belt in England was 1,649,600 hectares in 1997. The total area of the green belt in 2007 shows a net national increase of over 33,000 hectares since 1997.

Homelessness

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homeless households were accepted as  (a) eligible for housing,  (b) unintentionally homeless and  (c) in priority need by local authorities in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level. Data collected includes the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as  (a) eligible for assistance,  (b) unintentionally homeless and  (c) in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). These households are known as 'accepted' households.
	Data on accepted households are provided in our quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness, which is published on our website and placed in the Library each quarter.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	Acceptances by local authority are published in each quarter's Statistical Release, in the Supplementary Tables. In addition, a table showing these data since 1997-98 has been placed in the Library.

Homelessness

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of people who were rough sleeping in each  (a) region and  (b) local authority area on the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by (i) age group, (ii) gender and (iii) ethnic background.

Iain Wright: The 2008 estimate of the number of rough sleepers in England showed 483 people sleeping rough on any single night—a 74 per cent. reduction on the 1998 baseline. The estimate is based on the results of local authority street counts in those areas where a known, or suspected, rough sleeping problem has been identified.
	Number of rough sleepers in each region/local authority based on rough sleeper counts are in the following tables.
	
		
			  Region  Rough sleepers 
			 SW 54 
			 SE 55 
			 NW 54 
			 NE 2 
			 WM 18 
			 EM 6 
			 EM 21 
			 Y&H 35 
			 L 238 
			 ENG 483 
		
	
	
		
			  Local authority  Number 
			  Street counts  
			 Westminster 111 
			 City of London 48 
			 Exeter 15 
			 Liverpool 13 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 12 
			 Bournemouth 11 
			 Lambeth (Joint with Southwark) 11 
			 Manchester 11 
			 Bedford 10 
			 Brighton and Hove 10 
			 Hillingdon 10 
			 Hull 10 
			 Oxford 10 
			 Taunton Deane 10 
			 Chester 9 
			 Torbay 9 
			 Canterbury 8 
			 Preston 8 
			 York 8 
			 Blackpool 7 
			 Dover 7 
			 East Staffs 7 
			 Tower Hamlets 7 
			 Birmingham 6 
			 Leeds 6 
			 North Lincs 6 
			 Peterborough 6 
			 Reading 6 
			 Redbridge 6 
			 Waltham Forest 6 
			 Medway 5 
			 Southwark 5 
			 Watford 5 
			 Wolverhampton 5 
			 Brent 4 
			 Camden 4 
			 Hackney 4 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4 
			 Islington 4 
			 Swindon 4 
			 Kettering 3 
			 Nottingham 3 
			 Sheffield 3 
			 Thanet 3 
			 Worthing 3 
			 Cheltenham 2 
			 Crewe and Nantwich 2 
			 Hastings 2 
			 Lewisham 2 
			 Macclesfield 2 
			 Newcastle 2 
			 Barnsley 1 
			 Calderdale 1 
			 Halton 1 
			 North Devon 1 
			 Poole 1 
			 Shepway 1 
			 Stockport 1 
			 Teignbridge 1 
			 Ashford 0 
			 Cambridge 0 
			 Chorley 0 
			 Congleton 0 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 0 
			 Fylde 0 
			 Greenwich 0 
			 Maldon 0 
			 Newham 0 
			 North Somerset 0 
			 Rotherham 0 
			 South Ribble 0 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands 0 
			 Vale Royal 0 
			 Warrington 0 
			 England total 483 
		
	
	We do not hold national data on the proportion of rough sleepers who are male or female, their age group or ethnic background. However, there is specific data for London provided under the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) recording system. In 2007-08, for those rough sleepers in London contacted by services, CHAIN records show around 87 per cent. of rough sleepers to be male and 13 per cent. to be female. The breakdown by age is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Under 18 years 0 
			 18-25 years 7 
			 26-35 years 28 
			 36-45 years 34 
			 46-55 years 19 
			 Over 55 years 11

Housing Associations

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether housing associations are public bodies for the purposes of EU procurement legislation.

Iain Wright: Yes.

Housing: Low Incomes

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the merits of increasing the  (a) proportion and  (b) number of social and intermediate market housing units in the annual house building targets in each region in the light of recent changes in the housing market.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 November 2008,  Official Report, column 766W.

Housing: Standards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many council and housing association homes met the Decent Homes standard in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Iain Wright: Estimates from 1996 to 2006 and including 1997 are provided in the following table from the English House Condition Survey. There was no survey in 1997 and therefore figures are interpolated from within the overall time series, but this can be provided only for the social rented sector as a whole. The most recent EHCS data available is 2006.
	All estimates are based on the original definition of the decent homes standard which incorporates the Fitness Standard as one of the four criteria a home must meet if it is to be considered decent. This definition was updated in 2006 to replace the Fitness Standard with Housing Health and Safety Rating System. However there are no estimates available for years earlier than 2006 based on the updated definition and estimates based on the updated definition are not comparable with those for previous years.
	
		
			  Social housing by decency status( 1) , 1996-2006 
			   Local authority  RSL  All social 
			   Decent  Non-decent  Decent  Non-decent  Decent  Non-decent 
			  Number (Thousand)   
			 1996 1,600 1,869 493 448 2,092 2,318 
			 1997(2) n/a n/a n/a n/a 2,192 2,184 
			 2006 1,391 695 1,414 436 2,805 1,131 
			
			  Percentage   
			 1996 46.1 53.9 52.4 47.6 47.4 52.6 
			 1997(2) n/a n/a n/a n/a 50.1 49.9 
			 2006 66.7 33.3 76.4 23.6 71.3 28.7 
			 (1) Estimates are based on the original definition of decent homes which incorporates the fitness standard as one of the four criteria a home must meet if it is to be considered decent.  (2) Figures interpolated from all results (1996, 2001,and annually from 2003). Figures can not be interpolated for local authority and RSL housing separately for 1997 because of changes arising from transfers between the tenures.   Source:  English House Condition Survey.

Housing: Standards

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department and its predecessors have made of trends in standards of accommodation in  (a) houses in multiple occupation and  (b) the private rented sector in the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: Following research undertaken by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Department published "Evaluating the Impact of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Selective Licensing: The baseline before licensing in April 2006" in August 2007. The BRE is currently carrying out a review of the HMO licensing regime which will look at the practical implications, effectiveness and the impact of HMO legislation since implementation. The final report is due to be published in spring 2009.
	The English House Condition Survey collects information on housing conditions and includes the private rented sector.
	Since 1996, there has been substantial improvement in the number of non-decent homes in the private rented sector, from 62 per cent. in 1996 to 40 per cent. in 2006, based on the Fitness Standard which was the original definition of the decent homes standard.
	The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating is based on energy costs for space and water heating, ventilation and lighting per square metre of floor area within each home, representing a measure of its energy efficiency. Since 1996, there private rented sector has become more energy efficient and the average SAP has increased from 38 in 1996 to 47 in 2006.

Housing: Thames Gateway

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of the new homes to be built as part of the Thames Gateway project she expects to be affordable homes; and what assessment she has made of the effect of the current economic climate on that estimate.

Iain Wright: The Thames Gateway needs a mix of housing to be successful—from affordable starter homes and family units to aspirational homes—across the full range of tenures. The Government's aspiration is therefore for 160,000 additional new homes of all tenures from 2001 to 2016.
	When the Thames Gateway Delivery Plan was published in November 2007, the Housing Corporation estimated that over the period 2008-11 it would invest in between 11,500 and 14,300 affordable homes in the Thames Gateway. Overall, delivery of social rented homes through the Housing Corporation are on trajectory for 2008-09. However, it remains too early, given global financial turbulence and subsequent market conditions, to predict outputs in later years with certainty.

Listed Buildings

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the provisions of section 54A of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1991.

Iain Wright: I believe the hon. Member may be referring to section 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which was repealed and replaced by section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. This requires determinations under the planning Acts to be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The effect of proposed development on a listed building, conservation area or other heritage asset could constitute a material consideration. The provision ensures that heritage assets are given due consideration when planning applications are being determined.

Listed Buildings

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations her Department has received relating to section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1991.

Iain Wright: Section 66(1) requires decision makers, when considering planning applications which would affect a listed building or its setting, to have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest it possesses. The Secretary of State has not received any representations about this specific provision and its operations, although it is common for people to make representations about specific listed buildings in relation to individual planning cases.

Local Authorities: Conservation

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of local authorities employed a conservation officer in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: This information is not collected by the Department, as staffing issues in local authorities are a matter for the organisations themselves, taking into account their local circumstances. In 2006, a survey by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation showed there were 757 full-time equivalent buildings conservation staff. English Heritage are carrying out a survey to be completed by the end of this year, which will cover all historic environment professionals (conservation officers and archaeologists) working in local government

Multiple Occupation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received from  (a) voluntary organisations and  (b) local authorities on amending housing regulations for houses in multiple occupation.

Iain Wright: The building research establishment is currently carrying out a review of the HMO licensing regime across all local authorities in England which will look at the practical implications, effectiveness and the impact of HMO legislation since implementation. As part of the review they have consulted a range of key stakeholders including local authorities, private landlords and tenant representatives. The final report is due to be published in spring 2009.

Multiple Occupation: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the effects of mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation in seaside towns; what estimate she has made of the take up rate; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Building Research Establishment is currently carrying out a review of the HMO licensing regime across all local authorities in England which will look at the practical implications, effectiveness and the impact of HMO legislation since implementation. The final report is due to be published in spring 2009.
	Information requested on the take up rate of mandatory HMO licensing in seaside towns is not available centrally.

Multiple Occupation: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research her Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on relationships between houses in multiple occupation and levels of transient and vulnerable people living in the principal English seaside towns; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Building Research Establishment is currently carrying out a review of the HMO licensing regime across all local authority areas which will look at the practical implications, effectiveness and the impact of HMO legislation since implementation. Where appropriate, this will include impacts on areas with high levels of transient and vulnerable households. The final report is due to be published in spring 2009.
	The Department's report 'England's Seaside Towns—A Benchmarking Study', published in November 2008, includes findings on migrant workers (who form part of transient populations) and certain vulnerable households (such as disabled people and the elderly) in England's 37 principal seaside resorts, though recent data were not available on their housing tenure in these places.

Multiple Occupation: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what controls are available to local authorities to manage houses in multiple occupation in the principal English seaside towns; what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the use of such controls; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: All houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in England that are of three or more storeys housing five or more persons forming more than one household are now subject to mandatory HMO licensing. Local authorities also have the discretion to introduce additional HMO licensing schemes to cover smaller HMOs where they have identified problems such as poor management standards and property condition.
	All HMOs, regardless of whether they are licensable, are subject to management regulations. The regulations impose duties on the manager of the property to ensure that minimum safety requirements are met, the HMO and facilities within it are maintained and in reasonably good order and that fire precautionary equipment are properly maintained.
	The building research establishment is currently carrying out a review of the HMO licensing regime across all local authorities in England which will look at the practical implications, effectiveness and the impact of HMO legislation since implementation. The final report is due to be published in spring 2009.

Non-domestic Rates

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have been prosecuted successfully for non-payment of business rates in each of the last 12 months.

John Healey: The Department does not collect such statistics.

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultation was undertaken with businesses based in ports before the decision was taken to make retrospective demands for business rates on UK port occupiers.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) on 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1410W.

Planning

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Planning Policy Guidance 15 and 16.

Iain Wright: Planning Policy Guidance Notes 15 and 16 set out Government policy on, respectively, Planning and the Historic Environment, and Archaeology and Planning. They explain and provide guidance on the robust regime for protecting listed buildings, conservation areas and other heritage assets that is enshrined in legislation, and are valued by stakeholders as key heritage protection documents. We recognise the need to keep these documents up to date, and are currently revising them in consultation with officials in English Heritage and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Planning

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Good Practice Guide on Planning for Tourism.

Iain Wright: We have made no assessment of the effectiveness of our Good Practice Guidance on Planning for Tourism. However, the Department for Culture Media and Sport has been engaging proactively with local authorities and business since the publication of the guide in May 2006 to ensure its effective implementation.

Regeneration: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress her Department has made with HM Treasury on the national regeneration framework in seaside towns.

John Healey: The wide economic and social variations between individual seaside towns underline the need for local regeneration solutions that are integrated within wider sub-regional and regional strategies—an approach set out in the Government's Regeneration Framework consultation document issued in July 2008. These variations are highlighted in the Department's recent report, 'England's Seaside Towns—A Benchmarking Study,' published in November.
	During the consultation period on the framework, which closed at the end of October, my officials met with many stakeholders including those with interests in seaside towns. We are currently considering responses to the consultation document with the aim of publishing a final framework early in 2009. The framework is being taken forward in close co-operation with Treasury officials and other Government Departments.

Regeneration: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department has taken to improve its arrangements for co-ordination of policy with other Government departments on coastal towns since the publication of the Communities and Local Government Committee's Second Report of Session 2006-07, Coastal Towns, HC 351.

John Healey: My Department established a cross-departmental working group on coastal towns in February 2008, comprising officials from eight Departments (BERR, CLG, DCMS, DfT, DIUS, DOH, DEFRA, and DWP), the Government Offices for the Regions and key government agencies—the Environment Agency, Commission for Rural Communities and Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

Regeneration: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if her Department will bring forward proposals to establish a permanent network to facilitate the spread of best practice in coastal town regeneration.

John Healey: The Coastal Towns Network, which is led by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and includes central Government Departments, local authorities, regional development agencies (RDAs) and national coastal town networks, provides a forum for facilitating the dissemination of best practice in coastal town regeneration.

Regeneration: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the work of each regional improvement and efficiency partnership in respect of the principal seaside towns in England which lie in their areas.

John Healey: Information of the work of each Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (RIEPs) in respect of the principal seaside towns is not held centrally. However, we are continually monitoring the progress of the RIEPs and a full assessment of RIEP progress will be available when the annual end of year report is produced next year.

Regional Planning and Development

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the Answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 175W, on planning, when her Department plans to publish a summary of responses to its consultation on the Town and Country (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.

Iain Wright: We aim to publish the summary of responses in January.

Rented Housing: Private Sector

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many properties in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England are privately rented;
	(2)  how many private landlords there are in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England;
	(3)  how many people have been registered as private tenants in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: Annual estimates of the stock of privately rented properties in the North East and in England are set out in table 1. Annual estimates for South Tyneside and Jarrow are not available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Estimated stock of privately rented properties 1997-2006 
			  Thousand 
			   North East  England 
			 1997 73 2,196 
			 1998 78 2,192 
			 1999 82 2,171 
			 2000 82 2,155 
			 2001 79 2,152 
			 2002 78 2,208 
			 2003 87 2,293 
			 2004 99 2,375 
			 2005 105 2,497 
			 2006(1) 106 2,611 
			 (1) Provisional.  Source: CLG live table 109 
		
	
	Based on the recent report "The Private Rented Sector: its contribution and potential", published by the Centre for Housing Policy, University of York, the number of private landlords in England in 2006, excluding resident landlords, is estimated to have been about 1.2 million. Reliable estimates of the number of private landlords are not available at below national level.
	The question asks for the number of registered private tenants. However, private tenants are not required to register, so the figures in table 2 are survey-based estimates of the number of households in the private rented sector for the North East and for England, 1997 to 2007. Estimates are only available at regional and national level.
	
		
			  Table 2: Estimated number of households in the private rented sector 1997-2007 
			  Thousand 
			   North East  England 
			 1997 71 2,078 
			 1998 75 2,063 
			 1999 81 2,000 
			 2000 79 2,029 
			 2001 72 2,062 
			 2002 73 2,131 
			 2003 87 2,234 
			 2004 103 2,284 
			 2005 101 2,445 
			 2006 107 2,566 
			 2007 117 2,690 
			  Source: Office for National Statistics, Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	The most recent estimate of the number of households in the private rented sector in South Tyneside, from the 2001 Census, was 3,259. The comparable Census 2001 figures for South Tyneside, North East and England were as follows:
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of households in the private rented sector, estimated from the 2001 Census 
			   Number 
			 South Tyneside 3,259 
			 North East Region 76,987 
			 England 2,037,470 
		
	
	The estimates for North-East Region and England in table 3 are more reliable than those in table 2 because they are derived from a census as opposed to a sample survey.
	Estimates of the number of private renters in the Jarrow constituency based on the 2001 Census are not available.

Rented Housing: Private Sector

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she intends to publish her response to the findings of the Rugg Report on the private rented sector; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: We will be responding to the Julie Rugg and David Rhodes review of the private rented sector within our forthcoming housing reform Green Paper. Ministers are currently considering the full range of evidence and policy issues for the Green Paper in its entirety and as such no decision has been made on timing for its publication. At the same time, we are discussing initial views on Rugg/Rhodes's interesting and helpful review with key stakeholders. Those discussions will inform our initial response to the review.

Repossession Orders: Telephone Helplines

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which telephone advice lines are funded from the public purse to provide advice to those facing repossessions; how much funding the Government have provided to financial advice lines in each of the last five years; and how many incoming calls have been  (a) received and  (b) answered by each of those advice lines in each of the last 12 months.

Iain Wright: National Debtline (NDL) is a free, confidential and independent national telephone helpline for people with debt problems in England, Scotland and Wales. NDL also offer expert advice on the full range of debt related problems for example rent arrears, mortgage/repossession etc. The service can be accessed via the telephone, email and written inquiries. Government part funds the National Debtline (NDL) with industry through contributions by BERR, MoJ and the Scottish Executive.
	In the past five years BERR have paid £1 million to NDL in each of the past five years (2003-04 onwards); MoJ have paid £500,000 in 05-06, £800,000 in 06-07 and £1 million in 2007-08.
	Community Legal Advice (CLA) is the telephone helpline of the Legal Services Commission (LSC), a non -departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. In addition to the telephone service, the LSC also funds 88 Housing Possession Court Duty Schemes in 113 courts throughout England and Wales to provide on-the-day emergency advice and advocacy to anyone facing possession proceedings. These figures include those schemes that will start from next week, following a recent tender process. The schemes allow anyone in danger of eviction or having their property repossessed to get free legal advice and representation on the day of their hearing, regardless of their financial circumstances.
	Community Legal Advice is funded by Mo J. Details of funding is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2004-05 3,926,989 
			 2005-06 5,423,343 
			 2006-07 11,219,528 
			 2007-08 13,193,769 
		
	
	In addition, the PBR announced further measures to help householders facing financial difficulties, including £5.85 million additional investment to March 2011 in telephone advice and £10 million to March 2010 invested in Citizens Advice Bureaux to expand face-to-face debt advice capacity.
	Government have also allocated £200 million to local authorities and voluntary organisations over the next three years to tackle and prevent homelessness in their area. Many local authorities will use some of this money to fund advice agencies or Citizen Advice Bureaux to provide an advisory service. We also provide £2.5 million funding to the National Homelessness Advice Service (NHAS) which is a partnership between Shelter and the Citizens Advice Bureaux ((CABx) providing high quality advice on homelessness prevention through the network of participating CABx and other voluntary agencies across England.
	Records of numbers of calls received and answered by these services are not held centrally.

Revenue Support Grant

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account her Department takes of levels of  (a) elderly and  (b) transient populations of seaside towns when deciding upon the formula for the revenue support grant.

John Healey: Formula Grant is made up from Revenue Support Grant, redistributed Business Rates and principal formula Police Grant and distributed to local authorities in England. The distribution of Formula Grant takes into account the relative need to provide services in an area and the relative ability of an area to raise council tax locally, relative to all other authorities providing the same service. It also contains a central allocation and a floor damping mechanism.
	There are relative needs formulae (RNF) for each of the main service areas that are provided by authorities—children's services, adults' personal social services, highways maintenance, police, fire and rescue, environmental, protective and cultural services, and capital finance. Except for highways maintenance and capital finance, the resident population (measured by the Office for National Statistics's sub-national population projections) are the main driver of the formula. In all formulae, there are additional elements to take into account additional factors related to need.
	There are two RNFs within Adults' personal social services to reflect services for Younger Adults and Older People. The main factor in the Older People's Personal Social Services is the population of people aged 65 and over who are residents in households or are local authority supported residents in permanent care homes. Additional factors to reflect age, deprivation, low income and sparsity are also included in the RNF.
	There is no explicit measure of transient population within the formula grant distribution system.

Second Homes

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what percentage of homes in each county in England are registered as second homes.

Iain Wright: Details of the number of properties registered as second homes for council tax purposes and the percentage this is of the total number of homes in each county in England in October 2007 are given in the following table.
	
		
			   Second Homes  Total number of dwellings  Second homes as percentage of total dwellings 
			 Bedfordshire 720 169,528 0.4 
			 Buckinghamshire 1,014 200,999 0.5 
			 Cambridgeshire 2,043 250,488 0.8 
			 Cheshire 2,543 307,500 0.8 
			 Cornwall 13,201 243,249 5.4 
			 Cumbria 8,084 234,954 3.4 
			 Derbyshire 1,733 337,102 0.5 
			 Devon 11,233 337,152 3.3 
			 Dorset 6,257 189,483 3.3 
			 Durham 707 229,175 0.3 
			 East Sussex 4,749 236,537 2.0 
			 Essex 4,621 589,066 0.8 
			 Gloucestershire 3,133 259,853 1.2 
			 Hampshire 4,436 544,576 0.8 
			 Hertfordshire 2,509 453,967 0.6 
			 Kent 6,255 610,097 1.0 
			 Lancashire 2,795 514,005 0.5 
			 Leicestershire 1,501 266,668 0.6 
			 Lincolnshire 2,649 311,516 0.9 
			 Norfolk 11,686 386,407 3.0 
			 North Yorkshire 7,055 267,360 2.6 
			 Northamptonshire 1,057 289,230 0.4 
			 Northumberland 2,767 144,026 1.9 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,250 340,660 0.4 
			 Oxfordshire 3,382 263,111 1.3 
			 Shropshire 1,194 129,597 0.9 
			 Somerset 2,820 231,139 1.2 
			 Staffordshire 682 356,107 0.2 
			 Suffolk 5,387 316,253 1.7 
			 Surrey 3,424 462,149 0.7 
			 Warwickshire 1,846 232,739 0.8 
			 West Sussex 6,118 347,840 1.8 
			 Wiltshire 2,161 195,414 1.1 
			 Worcestershire 1,328 242,983 0.5 
			 Total 132,340 10,490,930 1.3 
		
	
	The data are from a snapshot taken each year and are as recorded, by each local authority, in council tax base returns submitted annually.

Shared Ownership Schemes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) people and  (b) key workers have purchased a property through each of the HomeBuy and shared ownership schemes in each region of the country in each year since the schemes were introduced.

Iain Wright: The following tables 1, 2 and 3 set out the homes provided through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme, including through the Starter Home Initiative, from 1999-2000 to 2007-08 by region and by shared ownership and HomeBuy scheme.
	Tables 4 and 5 show how many of the homes in tables 1, 2 and 3 were provided specifically for key workers through these schemes, although some key workers may have benefited from the general shared ownership and HomeBuy products.
	Figures have been provided from 1999-2000 as this was the start of the first open market Homebuy scheme. Social HomeBuy was introduced in 2006-07.
	
		
			  Table 1: Shared Ownership/New Build HomeBuy 
			   London  South-east  South-west  East midlands  Eastern  West midlands  Yorkshire and Humberside  North-east  North-west  Grand total 
			 1999-2000 1,078 250 261 369 79 351 235 88 436 3,147 
			 2000-01 959 430 104 191 75 171 133 93 395 2,551 
			 2001-02 699 305 121 230 53 138 119 110 436 2,211 
			 2002-03 912 467 122 158 34 143 92 6 381 2,315 
			 2003-04 1,397 920 183 282 140 189 87 21 355 3,574 
			 2004-05 1,789 1,708 622 432 205 440 42 88 424 5,750 
			 2005-06 1,938 2,286 929 831 958 785 221 139 550 8,637 
			 2006-07 3,539 2,866 844 815 1,211 659 303 100 724 11,061 
			 2007-08 4,789 2,994 1,376 1,311 1,770 1,351 393 109 914 15,007 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Open Market HomeBuy 
			   London  South-east  South-west  East midlands  Eastern  West midlands  Yorkshire and Humberside  North-east  North-west  Grand total 
			 1999-2000 445 133 127 34 63 42 23 7 11 885 
			 2000-01 655 187 285 70 145 69 25 18 33 1,487 
			 2001-02 479 382 205 88 109 58 19 11 9 1,360 
			 2002-03 1,799 1,250 326 63 302 106 8 8 6 3,868 
			 2003-04 4,012 2,793 515 108 734 227 14 3 4 8,410 
			 2004-05 2,258 1,847 316 124 679 274 25 3 12 5,538 
			 2005-06 3,211 1,894 256 286 1,017 533 49 4 187 7,437 
			 2006-07 998 863 65 47 277 129 31  65 2,475 
			 2007-08 624 904 286 60 455 133 97 9 181 2,749 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Social HomeBuy 
			   London  South-east  South-west  East midlands  Eastern  West midlands  Yorkshire and Humberside  North-east  North-west  Grand total 
			 1999-2000 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2000-01 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2001-02 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2002-03 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2003-04 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2004-05 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2005-06 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2006-07 24 2 — 3 — — 12 2 4 47 
			 2007-08 79 20 2 2 4 6 6 7 34 160 
		
	
	 Key Worker
	
		
			  Table 4: New Build HomeBuy 
			   London  South-east  South-west  East midlands  Eastern  West midlands  Yorkshire and Humberside  North-east  North-west  Grand total 
			 1999-2000 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2000-01 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2001-02 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2002-03 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2003-04 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2004-05 151 372 — — 28 — — — — 551 
			 2005-06 535 659 — — 184 — — — — 1,378 
			 2006-07 1,248 736 — — 137 — — — — 2,121 
			 2007-08 1,056 209 — — 107 — — — — 1,372 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5: Open Market HomeBuy 
			   London  South-east  South-west  East midlands  Eastern  West midlands  Yorkshire and Humberside  North-east  North-west  Grand total 
			 1999-2000 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2000-01 — — — — — — — — — — 
			 2001-02 13 68 5 — 4 — — — — 90 
			 2002-03 1,373 894 117 — 147 5 — — — 2,536 
			 2003-04 2,639 2,368 296 — 486 21 — — — 5,810 
			 2004-05 1,482 1,507 25 — 537 — — — — 3,551 
			 2005-06 2,659 1,655 — — 847 — — — — 5,161 
			 2006-07 829 700 — — 227 — — — — 1,756 
			 2007-08 423 565 — — 267 —. — — — 1,255

Shelter: Eco-Towns

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much financial support her Department provided to Shelter for the production of documents concerning eco-towns; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what support, other than financial, her Department provided to Shelter for the production of documents concerning eco-towns; what information her Department provided to Shelter for the production of the documents; how many members of her Department were involved in the production of the documents; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  who initiated the project for Shelter to produce a range of documents relating to each proposed eco-town with funding from her Department; when the project was initiated; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Shelter publications do not promote eco-town locations, but provide information about the housing situation in and around the potential eco-town locations, so that people are able to make an informed input to decisions about whether an eco-town should go ahead. Any views expressed in the document are those of the authors and not the Department.
	Shelter put their proposal to the Department about producing publications to provide factual information to local people about the housing situation in and around potential eco-town locations on 29 May 2008. The Department agreed to provide funding to Shelter to assist them with this initiative on 5 June 2008. The Department has committed £166,000 + VAT to this project.
	Support was also provided from a number of officials from the Department to give advice on statistics and sources for statistical information related to housing and to cross-check the factual accuracy of the publications.

Sleeping Rough

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress is being made on the street needs audit of rough sleeper counts.

Iain Wright: Under the new rough sleeping strategy 'No One Left Out' we intend to develop a 'Street Needs Audit' in 2009 to supplement rough sleeper counts to ensure that counts are not just an opportunity to identify need but more importantly to do something about it.
	The Street Needs Audit will gather more information about people found on counts, including whether there is an active action plan in place for the person and the lead agency that is taking responsibility.
	We will consult on these changes.

Tenants Rights: Duchy of Cornwall

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether residents in domestic properties owned by the Duchy of Cornwall have  (a) rights of leasehold extension or enfranchisement and  (b) a right to buy their properties.

Iain Wright: The Duchy of Cornwall has voluntarily undertaken to give its tenants rights equivalent to those under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 and the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 subject to certain exceptions. The exceptions include properties that are in, or intimately connected with, the curtilage of Historic Royal Parks and Palaces or where properties or the areas in which they are situated have a long historic or particular association with the Crown, and those where there are particular security considerations.
	The right to buy available to social tenants under the Housing Act 1985 does not extend to tenants of the Duchy of Cornwall.

Travelling People

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average cost to a local authority was of providing  (a) an authorised site and  (b) an authorised pitch for Gypsies and Travellers in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: Based on the value of successful bids for Gypsy and Traveller Site Grant, the average cost of providing a pitch on a new local authority site was £57,154 in 2005-06, £93,692 in 2006-07, and £81,615 in 2007-08. This cost will be affected by the location of the site—often sites are on brownfield land which requires remediation, or are some distance from essential utilities—and whether land needs to be purchased. The cost of a new site will also vary according to the number of pitches it provides.

Travelling People

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many Gypsies and Travellers there were in England in  (a) 1988,  (b) 1998 and  (c) 2008.

Iain Wright: We do not collect information on the number of Gypsies and Travellers in England. The bi-annual count of Gypsy and Traveller caravans provides information on the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans in England. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Communities and Local Government website at
	www.communities.gov.uk.
	The number of caravans counted was as follows:
	
		
			   Number of caravans 
			 January 1988 10,816 
			 January 1998 13,064 
			 January 2008 17,898

Travelling People

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the occupancy rate was for publicly-owned authorised sites for Gypsies and Travellers in  (a) Essex,  (b) Suffolk,  (c) Norfolk,  (d) Kent,  (e) Hertfordshire,  (f) Berkshire,  (g) Cambridgeshire and  (h) Greater London in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: The occupancy rate recorded for residential pitches on authorised local authority sites was as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   January 2008  January 2007  January 2006 
			 Essex 96.5 98.7 99.1 
			 Suffolk 92.2 100 92.9 
			 Norfolk 91.3 100 93 
			 Kent 98.6 99.1 97.3 
			 Hertfordshire 95.6 94.8 96.4 
			 Berkshire 96.7 97.5 96.6 
			 Cambridgeshire 100 100 100 
			 Greater London 98 97.9 95

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many compulsory purchase orders to acquire land for the purpose of building Gypsy and Traveller sites have been rejected by her Department in the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many times her Department has rejected the recommendation of planning inspectors on compulsory purchase orders to acquire land for Gypsy and Traveller sites in the last 10 years;
	(3)  how many times planning inspectors have recommended against proceeding with a compulsory purchase order to acquire land for Gypsy and Traveller sites in the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many compulsory purchase orders to acquire land for Gypsy and Traveller sites have been made in the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 24 November 2008,  Official Report, PQ 237786.

Travelling People: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the needs of transient populations in seaside towns.

John Healey: The Department's report "England's Seaside Towns—A Benchmarking Study" published in early November contains findings on migrant workers, who form part of transient populations, in England's 37 principal seaside resorts. The report identifies that most of the districts including seaside towns, have attracted fewer migrant workers, in relation to their population, than the English average. The report can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/citiesandregions/englishseasidetowns

JUSTICE

Approved Premises

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of the Probation Services budget was spent on staffing in approved premises in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The total budget for approved premises in 2008-09 is £58.4 million, made up of £51.1 million for probation-run premises and £7.3 million for voluntary-run premises. This amounts to 6.3 per cent. of the total probation service budget. Staffing patterns and the associated costs differ from area to area; it would not be possible to determine the exact proportion for each area without incurring disproportionate cost.

Approved Premises: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many bail hostels there are in each of the principal seaside towns in England.

David Hanson: The Bail Accommodation and Support Service provided by ClearSprings Ltd, under contract to the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), to which I take this question to refer, does not provide hostels. It provides people on bail and on Home Detention Curfew with private, rented accommodation in small houses and flats with up to five people sharing. The numbers of houses currently provided in coastal towns in England and Wales, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Blyth 1 
			 Bournemouth 2 
			 Cardiff 3 
			 Grimsby 1 
			 Hull 1 
			 Liverpool 4 
			 Plymouth 2 
			 Portsmouth 3 
			 Southampton 2 
			 Sunderland 2 
			 Swansea 2 
			 Weston-super-Mare 1

Coldingley Prison: Employment

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what arrangements HM Prison Service staff make for the payment of tax and national insurance of prisoners participating in the Barbed project at HM Prison Coldingley.

David Hanson: The Barbed project at Coldingley has now ended. But as a matter of general principle prisoners working inside prisons are at all times under prison rules and cannot be treated as employees. Therefore there is no requirement for Prison Service staff to arrange for tax and national insurance to be deducted.

CORE Electoral Database

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the CORE electoral database specification may be used for the introduction of individual electoral registration.

Michael Wills: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 6 May 2008,  Official Report, column 786W.
	Any work that is carried out in respect of individual registration will be done on its own merits, and is not reliant on the progress of the CORE project.
	A final decision as to the scope and specification of the CORE project will be made once an analysis of both the business and user requirements has been made. However, in accordance with good practice on the management of projects, any database that is developed will be, as far as is possible, capable of adapting to future requirements that may be anticipated.

Coroners Court: Stoke-on-Trent

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what funding his Department has allocated to the construction of a new coroners' court in Stoke-on-Trent; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The funding and operation of the coroners service including the provision of courtroom accommodation is the responsibility of individual local authorities, in this case Stoke-on-Trent city council.

Cost Effectiveness

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assumptions his Department has made of the availability of increased funding for his Department in its financial plan for the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Maria Eagle: Departmental budgets were set out in the comprehensive spending review (CSR) in October last year. Further information about the Ministry of Justice's financial and value for money plans can be found in the departmental annual report and the forthcoming autumn performance report. In addition to the CSR settlement, a total of £500 million resource and £500 million capital has also been provided over the CSR period to enhance prison capacity, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor (Jack Straw) announced on 5 December 2007.

Crime: Drugs

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were convicted of drugs offences in the East Midlands in each of the last six years.

Maria Eagle: The number of persons found guilty at all courts for drug offences in the East Midlands region, 2001 to 2006 can be viewed in the table.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available at the end of November 2008.
	
		
			  The number of persons found guilty at all courts for drug offences in the East Midlands region, 2001 to 2006( 1,2) 
			   Found guilty 
			  Drug offence type  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Unlawful importation—Class A 3 7 4 6 4 2 
			 Unlawful importation—Class B 4 3 5 0 3 0 
			 Unlawful importation—Class C 3 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Unlawful importation—Class unspecified 1 1 1 0 1 1 
			 Unlawful exportation—Class A 0 0 0 5 1 0 
			 Unlawful exportation—Class B 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Unlawful exportation—Class C 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Unlawful exportation—Class unspecified 1 0 1 0 1 0 
			 Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug—Class A 379 407 420 511 525 444 
			 Production,—Class B 284 269 313 234 108 88 
			 Production,—Class C 5 2 9 126 217 250 
			 Production—Class unspecified 19 7 2 36 58 41 
			 Possession—of a controlled drug (Class A) 977 876 811 793 803 732 
			 Possession—of a controlled drug (Class B) 1,271 1,317 1,488 694 319 230 
			 Possession—of a controlled drug (Class C) 12 19 22 380 674 628 
			 Production—Class unspecified 8 2 10 5 4 1 
			 Other drug offences 23 28 32 31 29 23 
			 Total 2,990 2,937 3,118 2,821 2,747 2,440 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete.  Note: However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: OCJR—E and A: Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit

Department for Constitutional Affairs Cemetery and Burials Advisory Group

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the meetings of the Department for Constitutional Affairs Cemetery and Burials Advisory Group; and whether the Advisory Group continues to operate in his Department.

Bridget Prentice: The Burial and Cemeteries Advisory Group, chaired by the Ministry of Justice, was established in 2001 and met most recently on 31 October 2008. Approved copies of the minutes of the meetings are available on request from the Department. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.

Departmental ICT

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what provision will be made for IT expenditure in his Department's financial plan for the 2008-11 Comprehensive Spending Review; and what steps he will take to ensure that such expenditure  (a) is necessary and  (b) offers good value for money.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice's financial plan includes provision for IT expenditure of £557 million for 2008-09. This includes the cost of running the live operational services across the Ministry as well as the costs of new IT developments.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. These will be subject to a further budget review in December 2008, as part of the Ministry's wider review of all areas of expenditure. Strong governance arrangements are in place within the budget setting process and thereafter, to ensure that expenditure is necessary and offers value for money.

Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which postal service provider carried most of the  (a) letters and  (b) parcels sent by his Department and its predecessor in each of the last three years.

Michael Wills: In the past three years, the postal service provider who carried the majority of letters sent by the Ministry of Justice, and formerly the Department for Constitutional Affairs, was the Royal Mail. The postal service provider who carried the majority of parcels sent by the Department was Document Exchange.

Departmental Television

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the television licence fee in his official ministerial residence is paid for from public funds.

Jack Straw: I have no official ministerial residence and therefore no television licence fee is paid for it.

Driving Offences

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1505W, on justice: driving offences, on how many occasions an individual has been sentenced with a custodial sentence and a driving ban at the same hearing in  (a) each of the last 10 years and  (b) 2008 to date;
	(2)  on how many occasions an individual has been sentenced with a custodial sentence and a driving ban to run concurrently in  (a) each of the last 10 years and  (b) 2008 to date.

Maria Eagle: The requested information for years from 1997 to 2006 (latest available) on the number of offences for which persons received both a custodial sentence and a disqualification in each of the last 10 years is contained in the following table. Data for 2007 will become available once 'Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 2007' has been published on 27 November while data for 2008 will become available a year later.
	
		
			  Number of driving offences attracting a custodial sentence and a disqualification, all courts, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006( 1) 
			   Number 
			 1997 18,436 
			 1998 18,729 
			 1999 18,915 
			 2000 17,924 
			 2001 18,676 
			 2002 19,379 
			 2003 20,181 
			 2004 19,284 
			 2005 16,862 
			 2006 13,868 
			 (1) The figures in the table represent a count of offences for which persons received both a custodial sentence and a disqualification.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: OCJR Evidence and Analysis 
		
	
	A driving ban starts immediately it is imposed and will, therefore, always run concurrently with a custodial sentence. The Sentencing Guidelines Council guideline on causing death by driving offences says that
	"When ordering disqualification from driving, the duration of the order should allow for the length of any custodial period in order to ensure that the disqualification has the desired impact".

Driving Offences: Cameras

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what percentage of all motoring convictions in England and Wales in each year since 1997 speed cameras have provided evidence.

Maria Eagle: Available information taken from the Court Proceedings Database, from 1997 to 2006 (latest available) on all motoring and speed limit convictions is provided in the table below. Data for 2007 should be available at the end of November this year.
	Volumes of convictions for camera detected speed limit offences cannot be accurately established because in many cases the method of detection is not clear from the court data. We do not know exactly in how many cases it was in fact a camera or a visual detection by a police officer.
	
		
			  Findings of guilt at all courts for speed limit offences( 1,2,3)  as a percentage of all motoring offences, England and Wales, 1997-2006 
			  Number of offences 
			   Findings of guilt 
			  Offence type  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Total all motoring offences 1,475,335 1,464,492 1,415,174 1,364,631 1,324,924 1,382,674 1,549,604 1,549,194 1,392,699 1,226,696 
			
			 Total all speed limit offences 132,796 153,495 153,572 141,415 135,613 124,619 140,052 143,200 160,425 154,447 
			
			 Percentage 9.0 10.5 10.9 10.4 10.2 9.0 9.0 9.2 11.5 12.6 
			 (1) Offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 ss. 16, 81, 84, 86, 88 7 89; Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regs. 1973; Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926 - byelaws made thereunder. (2) It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. (3) Volumes of convictions for camera detected speed limit offences cannot be accurately established because in many cases the method of detection is not identified in the court data. We do not know exactly in how many cases it was in fact a camera or a visual detection by a police officer.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Driving Offences: Mobile Phones

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many drivers  (a) in total and  (b) under the age of 25 years were (i) prosecuted and (ii) given a fixed penalty notice for using a mobile telephone whilst driving in each region of England and Wales in each year since 2003.

Maria Eagle: Available information on prosecutions within the period 1 December 2003 to end 2006 (latest available) taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by my Department, is provided in table A as follows. Data for 2007 should be available at the end of November this year.
	Information provided by the Home Office on fixed penalties issued to drivers of all ages from December 2003 to 2006 (latest available) is provided in table B as follows. Data on the number of drivers aged under 25 years issued with fixed penalties are not available as information on the age of recipients of fixed penalties is not reported to the Home Department.
	
		
			  Table A: Proceedings at magistrates courts( 1,2 ) for the offence of 'use of hand held mobile phone whilst driving'( 2) , by all ages and by drivers under age 25, and by Government office regions, England and Wales, 2004-06 
			  Number of offences 
			   2004  2005  2006 
			  Government office region  Total all ages  Under age 25  Total all ages  Under age 25  Total all ages  Under age 25 
			 North East 39 7 31 5 134 25 
			 North West 145 28 285 51 384 72 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 45 10 132 30 174 37 
			 East Midlands 46 7 121 24 108 19 
			 West Midlands 102 11 206 15 248 20 
			 East 74 16 212 19 316 45 
			 London 243 52 672 115 710 103 
			 South East 55 13 259 35 373 35 
			 South West 62 11 110 16 158 23 
			 Wales 33 4 62 13 79 14 
			 England and Wales 844 159 2,090 323 2,684 393 
			 (1) Includes cases where a fixed penalty notice was originally issued but not paid and subsequently referred to court. (2) Offences under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 110 (1), 110 (2) and 110 (3). Introduced 1 December 2003. In December 2003, there was one prosecution in the Bedfordshire police force area. The offender was aged over 25.  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences may be less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Number of fixed penalty notices issued( 1)  for the use of a hand held mobile phone while driving( 2)  by region, England and Wales, 2003-06 
			  Number of fixed penalty notices issued 
			  Government office region  December 2 003  2004  2005  2006 
			 North East(3) 69 2,841 5,327 (3)6,515 
			 North West 47 14,938 25,579 35,520 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 33 5,447 10,741 12,444 
			 East Midlands 38 4,216 6,877 11,550 
			 West Midlands 156 6,949 13,575 15,200 
			 East(4) 69 7,620 13,194 (4)19,338 
			 London 726 13,718 19,682 24,717 
			 South East 258 10,214 20,698 21,215 
			 South West 492 4,551 7,075 10,209 
			 Wales 0 3,482 4,020 8,202 
			 England and Wales 1,888 73,976 126,768 164,910 
			 (1) Includes fixed penalties paid where there is no further action (2) Introduced 1 December 2003. (3) Includes revised figure for Durham police force area for year 2006. (4) Excludes figures for Norfolk police force area for 2006. The force was unable to supply data for that year due to technical reasons.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Electoral Administration in the UK

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department plans to issue a formal response to the Electoral Commission's August 2008 document, Electoral Administration in the UK; and if he will make a statement on its recommendations for regional electoral management boards in England.

Michael Wills: We welcome the Electoral Commission's report on 'Electoral Administration in the UK' and are currently considering what form our response should take.

Electoral Register

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has established a timetable for the introduction of individual electoral registration in Great Britain; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce one.

Michael Wills: The Government agree with the principle of individual electoral registration. Work on how and when individual voter registration could be implemented continues.
	In preparing for a move away from the current system of household based registration we need to take steps to ensure that this does not result in disenfranchisement of eligible voters.

Freedom of Information

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a fees limit applies to requests for information under  (a) the Freedom of Information Act and  (b) the Environmental Information Regulations.

Michael Wills: Under section 16 of the Freedom of Information Act, public authorities have a duty to provide advice and assistance, so far as it would be reasonable to expect the authority to do so, to people who have made or who propose to make requests for information. The Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 set out the rules and procedures for charging a fee to respond to a request for information.
	The legislation makes no provision for public authorities to charge for providing advice and assistance.
	There is no fees limit for requests for information under the environmental information regulations. The regulations stipulate only that a public authority may charge what is, in its view, a reasonable amount (regulation 8 (3)). DEFRA is the Department responsible for these regulations and publishes guidance, including advice on costs and charging, on its website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/opengov/eir/guidance/eir-feeguidance.htm
	I am making a copy available to the hon. Member.

Magistrates Courts

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates' courts there were in each of the last 11 years.

Bridget Prentice: Up until the 1 April 2005 magistrates courts were the responsibility of locally managed Magistrates Courts Committees who were statutorily independent. They were not required by statute to inform the Department of the number of magistrates courts or closures that were not subject to an appeal under section 56(3) of the Justices Peace Act l997 (now repealed). The following table shows the number of magistrates courts at year end since 2005:
	
		
			  Year end  Number of magistrates courts 
			 2005 365 
			 2006 363 
			 2007 359 
			 At 25 November 2008 358

National Offender Management Service: Finance

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his estimate is of the change to the budget of the National Offender Management Service Legacy Programme under the Ministry of Justice Financial Plan for the Comprehensive Spending Review for 2008-11.

Maria Eagle: Under the agreement reached in the last comprehensive spending review the Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Alongside the work to determine what savings can be achieved by introducing new HQ structures and new ways of working in prisons and probation, the National Offender Management Service will be implementing into prisons a number of projects that have been under development for some time. It is anticipated that these legacy programmes will contribute £22 million savings in 2009-10 and a further £17 million in 2010-11.

National Offender Management Service: Finance

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his estimate is of the change to his Department's budget as a result of Prison Service de-layering under his Department's Financial Plan for the Comprehensive Spending Review for 2008 to 2011.

Maria Eagle: Discussions are currently taking place with all National Offender Management Service trade unions on broad proposals for pay and workforce reform. The financial impact of the overall programme will not be fully known until those negotiations have concluded. However, the Government have already announced that they are willing to invest an extra £50 million in pay for prison staff in 2008-09 to support the implementation of an agreement that would deliver long-term improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of public sector prisons.

Non-Molestation Orders

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the operation of non-molestation orders;
	(2)  how many non-molestation orders have been made in each year since their introduction;
	(3)  whether he plans to review the way non-molestation orders are processed through the courts;
	(4)  whether he plans to review the operation of ex parte applications for non-molestation orders.

Bridget Prentice: In August 2008 the Ministry published research on the early findings of the impact of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Key findings were:
	there had been a positive impact since common assault became an arrestable offence (as are all criminal offences now)—strengthening and clarifying police powers and the positive arrest policy. Early findings indicated an increased use of common assault provisions;
	the impact of making breach of non-molestation orders a criminal offence was less clear-cut among professionals. Victims and advocates generally welcomed the measure, in the hope that better enforcement and heavier sanctions would result; and
	it was not possible to conclude that the drop in family court injunctions was wholly as a result of implementation of section 1 of the Act.
	Given the relatively short time since the change in the law on 1 July 2007, it is not possible to conclude that the drop in family court injunction applications and orders is a direct result of the change in legislation, or whether it represents a consolidation of previous trends as the number of family court injunction orders (non-molestation and occupation orders) has fallen gradually. It is apparent that there are variations between geographical areas and changes in volumes of non-molestation and occupation orders being made.
	The number of applications to the county courts for domestic violence remedies decreased by 7 per cent. in 2007 compared with 2006. Compared with 2003 they have fallen by 19 per cent(1).
	The number of non-molestation orders, in full calendar years, made in the County and High Courts since implementation (in October 1997) of the Family Law Act 1996 are as follows:
	
		
			   Total 
			  Manual data collection  
			 1998 18,614 
			 1999 17,877 
			 2000 18,017 
			 2001 20,789 
			   
			  FamilyMan data collection  
			 2002 24,999 
			 2003 25,428 
			 2004 23,741 
			 2005 22,843 
			 2006 22,038 
			 2007 19,917 
			  Note: Figures for 2002 to 2007 are not comparable to figures for 1998 to 2001 as they are based on different methods of data collection.  Source: 1998 to 2001: Manual returns by county courts. Published in individual editions of Judicial Statistics 1998 to 2001. 2002 to 2007: HMCS FamilyMan system. Published in Judicial and Court Statistics 2006 and 2007. 
		
	
	In the year the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act was passed (2004), the criminal courts dealt with 34,839 cases involving domestic violence(2). By 2007, this figure rose to 63,819. More victims are choosing to report incidents to the police to take the criminal court route.
	Furthermore, the charge to conviction rate in the final quarter of 2007-08 was to 70.7 per cent., exceeding the CPS's April 2008 target of 70 per cent. This is a significant improvement against the background of the 59.7 per cent. conviction rate four years ago. The national average for all domestic violence prosecutions was 72 per cent. in July-September 2008, meeting the 2008-09 target ahead of time.
	The key message is that both family and criminal court jurisdictions helped 22,975 more victims in 2007 than in 2004.
	The Ministry will continue to monitor the levels of applications and orders for non-molestation orders and is working with the judiciary and stakeholders to improve the family and criminal justice systems response to victims of domestic violence.
	While there are no specific plans to review the way non-molestation orders or ex parte applications are processed through the courts, a new Allocation and Transfer of Proceedings Order will come into effect on 25 November 2008. The objective is to ensure that proceedings are heard at the appropriate level of court and that the capacity of magistrates courts is properly utilised. This may mean that more cases under the Family Law Act 1996 will be dealt in the Family Proceedings Courts, as opposed to the county courts.
	(1) Judicial and Court Statistics 2007
	(2) Crown Prosecution Service

Offences Against Children: Convictions

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for child abuse offences were made in the year ending March  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2007 and  (e) 2008.

Maria Eagle: The number of defendants convicted at all courts for offences relating to child abuse in England and Wales, 2004 to 2006 can be viewed in the following table.
	Child abuse can be covered by a number of offences, including section 5 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 which came into force on 21 March 2005.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available at the end of November 2008, and data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  The number of defendants convicted at all courts for offences relating to child abuse in England and Wales, 2004 to 2006( 1,2,3,4) 
			Found guilty 
			  Statute  Offence description  2004  2005  2006 
			 Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 s.5 Causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person 0 0 2 
			 Children and Young Persons Act 1933 sec 1 Cruelty or neglect of children 537 476 487 
			 Offences against the Person Act 1861 sec 27 Abandoning children under 2 years 0 0 2 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.1 Rape of a female aged under 16 261 219 207 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.1 Rape of a male aged under 16 21 22 13 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.5 Rape of a female child under 13 by a male 4 43 59 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.5 Rape of a male child under 13 by a male 0 3 17 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.7 Sexual assault of a female child under 13 25 239 192 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.8(1)(2)(1)(3), s.10(la,b,ci)(3), s.9(1a,b,cii)(2), s.9(la,b,cii)(3), s.10(l,a,b,cii)(2), s.10(l,a,b,cii)(3) Sexual activity involving a child 20 113 175 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.16(1ei,2-5), s.16(1eii,2-5), s.17(1ei,2-5), s.18(1fi,2-5), s.19(1ei,2-5), s.17(1eii,2-5) Abuse of a position of trust: Sexual activity with children 3 14 18 
			 Common Law. Offences against the Person Act 1861 sec 1, 9, 10 Murder of infants under 1 year of age 4 4 7 
			 Infanticide Act 1938 s.1(1) Infanticide 0 2 1 
			 Total  875 1,035 1,180 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, It is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations, are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 s.5 came into force on 21 March 2005. (4) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004.  Source: OCJR—E and A: Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit

Penalty Notices: Drugs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many penalty notices for disorder have been issued to those with  (a) drug and  (b) alcohol-related problems since their inception.

Maria Eagle: PNDs can be issued for alcohol-related offences such as being drunk and disorderly. Data showing the number of PNDs issued for such offences to persons aged 16 and over, in England and Wales, 2004 to 2006, are shown in the following table. PNDs cannot be issued for drug-related offences, so no data exist. The PND scheme was rolled-out to all 43 forces in 2004.
	
		
			  The number of persons aged 16 and over, issued with a penalty notice for disorder for alcohol related offences, in England and Wales, 2004 to 2006( 1,2) 
			   Year 
			   Offence  2004  2005  2006 
			 DA06 Drunk and disorderly 26,609 37,038 43,556 
			 DA07, new code is DA18 Selling alcohol to person under 18 113 2,058 3,195 
			 DA08, new code is DA19 Purchasing alcohol in licensed premises for under 18 113 170 407 
			 DA09, new code is DA20 Purchasing alcohol for consumption in licensed premises for under 18 66 83 60 
			 DA10, new code is DA21 Delivery of alcohol to under 18 or allowing delivery 20 209 297 
			 DA16 Sale of alcohol to drunken person (3)— 32 47 
			 DA17 Supply of alcohol to person under 18 (3)— 3 60 
			 DB05 Drunk in highway 2,497 3,138 2,712 
			 DB07 Consuming alcohol in a designated public place 485 712 1,061 
			 DB09, new code is DB12 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 in licensed premises 485 84 75 
			 DB10, new code is DB13 Allowing consumption of alcohol by under 18 in bar in licensed premises 7 27 14 
			 DB11, new code is DB14 Buying or attempting to buy alcohol by under 18 (3)— 21 73 
			 (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (2) Penalty Notices for Disorder came into force in November 2004. (3) PND offence not introduced at this time  Source:  Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Evidence and Analysis Unit.

Peterborough Prison

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of prisoners held at HMP Peterborough are  (a) British citizens,  (b) EEA citizens and  (c) non-EEA citizens; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: Information on the citizenship of individual prisoners is not available, and may not be the same as their nationality.
	As at 30 September 2008, 81 per cent. of the prisoners at HMP Peterborough were UK nationals, 6 per cent. were EEA nationals and 10 per cent. were non-EEA nationals. There were a further 3 per cent. whose nationality was not yet recorded. Although nationality may not yet be recorded in certain instances, this is not indicative of where nationality is unknown. Relevant checks with other Government Departments will be conducted as appropriate in order to ascertain further details.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Powers of Entry: Debt Collection

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 157-58W, on powers of entry: debt collection, what the latest timetable is for  (a) further consultation and  (b) the implementation of new powers for bailiffs; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the completed scoping exercise.

Bridget Prentice: Following Royal Assent in July 2007, a scoping exercise which involved a series of meetings with stakeholders to discuss implementation was undertaken. The options for implementing the enforcement provisions within the Act are, at present, being considered and an announcement will be made in the next few months. A statement will be placed in the Library.

Prisoners: Employment

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effects of the Prison Service's ruling that prison inmates may not be employed by outside employers on the situation of prisoners in open prisons who are employed by outside employers while subject to Prison Rules.

David Hanson: Prisoners who are employed in partnership with private industry or any other third party to carry out work while in prison are not directly employed by the organisations involved. This enables the governor to rightly retain primacy on prison control and prisoner management issues.
	Prisoners, who are released on temporary licence to work outside the prison, are also subject to prison rules. The policy remains appropriate.

Prisoners: Females

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  in which prisons were women from Wales held on 1 April  (a) 2008,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2005 and  (e) 2004;
	(2)  how many women whose homes were in Wales were held in prison on 1 April  (a) 2008,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2005 and  (e) 2004.

David Hanson: The table shows the total number of women prisoners with a home address in Wales held in prison, and the establishments at which they were held for September 2005-08. Information is not available for 1 April each year or for September 2004.
	
		
			  Prison  September 2005  September 2006  September 2007  September 2008 
			 Askham Grange 2 1 3 2 
			 Bronzefield 4 1 1 8 
			 Bullwood Hall 4 0 0 0 
			 Cookham Wood 2 1 0 0 
			 Downview 5 6 6 7 
			 Drake Hall 16 19 14 7 
			 East Sutton Park 3 2 0 1 
			 Eastwood Park 77 81 92 98 
			 Foston Hall 8 15 11 16 
			 Holloway 2 3 1 2 
			 Low Newton 2 2 4 3 
			 Morton Hall 1 1 1 2 
			 New Hall 1 3 3 5 
			 Peterborough 3 9 7 3 
			 Send 17 19 16 23 
			 Styal 21 20 24 32 
			 Total 168 183 183 209 
		
	
	Where no home address is listed for a prisoner the committal court is used as a proxy address.

Prisoners: Females

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many women were held in prison in England and Wales on 1 April  (a) 2008,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2005 and  (e) 2004.

David Hanson: The following table gives the number of women prisoners held in all prison establishments in England and Wales as at 31 March each year from 2004 to 2008.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004 4,632 
			 2005 4,383 
			 2006 4,385 
			 2007 4,298 
			 2008 4,420 
		
	
	This information is available at the following website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Pay

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Prison Service plans to review its practice of paying prisoners in cash.

David Hanson: Prisoners are not permitted to hold cash in their possession while in custody. There are no plans to review the policy.

Prisoners: Transport

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many times taxis have been used to transport prisoners and young offenders to and from each  (a) prison and  (b) young offenders institution in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the cost of using taxis to transport prisoners and young offenders to and from each  (a) prison and  (b) young offender institution was in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: I refer to my answer of 6 November 2008,  Official Report, column 754W.
	Taxis are rarely used for transporting prisoners to and from court or for inter-prison transfers. On occasions they may be used for emergency transport, including hospital admission where an ambulance is not appropriate.
	A risk assessment is conducted to ensure that the use of a taxi is appropriate.
	The number of occasions taxis are used, and the cost, is not recorded centrally and could be provided by contacting each prison only at a disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Drugs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the use of mobile telephones to bring drugs into prisons.

David Hanson: David Blakey CBE QPM DL, a former inspector of constabulary and chief constable of West Mercia was commissioned to review the measures in place to disrupt the supply of drugs into prison. His report was published in July 2008 and the Government are working to implement his recommendations.
	Prisons deploy a robust and comprehensive range of security measures to reduce drug supply, including:
	passive search dogs, which are available in all prisons, to detect visitors carrying drugs and active search dogs, used to search goods and vehicles. There are 440 search dogs in total;
	local searching strategies which comply with the National Security Framework;
	strict measures to tackle visitors who smuggle or attempt to smuggle drugs, including—on suspicion of smuggling—'closed' visits (i.e. through a glass screen) or visit bans, and arrest and prosecution where there is sufficient evidence;
	the criminal process is invoked against visitors and prisoners alike wherever sufficient evidence exists of an attempt to supply. A range of internal sanctions exists for prisoners caught using drugs;
	visitor biometric systems in 34 prisons;
	CCTV surveillance in most social visits areas and low-level furniture in social visits areas in all category C prisons and above, to make it more difficult to pass drugs;
	intelligence systems, including targeted monitoring of telephone traffic through the PIN-phone system;
	close working with the police to target serious criminals outside prison who are increasingly involved in supply. Each prison has access to a police liaison officer;
	Supply Reduction Good Practice Guide used by all prisons to improve performance. Regular review of the poorer performing prisons by the Director of Operations;
	deployment of technology and strategies to detect and disrupt mobile phones, and analysis of recovered handsets and SIM cards (we believe that the most common criminal use of mobile phones is to arrange the supply of illicit drugs);
	a Corruption Prevention Unit, and
	disciplinary sanctions for positive MDT tests.

Prisons: Elderly

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of those detained in HM prisons were  (a) men aged over 65 years and  (b) women aged over 60 at the latest date for which figures are available.

David Hanson: At 30 June 2007, there were 1,978 male and 49 female sentenced prisoners aged 60 and over who were detained in prison establishments in England and Wales. Information is only published for the 60 and over category, as opposed to 65 and over.
	These figures are taken from table 7.3 in the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2007, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library and which can be found at this website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons: Employment

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what recent assessment has been made by the Prison Service of the merits of prisoners being constructively employed;
	(2)  what plans he has to ensure that prisoners who are serving long sentences are able to engage in productive work; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Prison Service understands the benefits in providing productive employment in prisons for prisoners and there is a constant process of developing and improving work for prisoners.
	Significant numbers of prisoners are meaningfully employed on a daily basis in a range of activities. This includes essential work producing a variety of goods for internal consumption and providing in-house services such as catering, cleaning and laundries. This activity not only provides constructive employment but also reduces the cost of imprisonment and has an element of restitution. Prisoner employment in prison also acts as an aid to good order and control and aids resettlement through skills and qualifications.
	In addition there are a number of employer partnerships with the private sector that not only provide real employment and training but also the possibility of employment on release. The Prison Service is keen to grow these initiatives so that increasing number of prisoners and society can benefit. In addition to those working in individual prisons and probation areas there is also an existing Corporate Alliance with employers from the private, public and third sectors which informs strategy and delivery.

Prisons: Employment

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on links between the nature of work undertaken by prisoners and (i) employment of prisoners after release and (ii) re-offending rates.

David Hanson: The Ministry of Justice has commissioned the 'Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction Survey' which will examine the nature of prisoners' work and training in prison and the associations of this with the take up of employment after release and the nature of such employment. When these data are linked with re-offending data from the Police National Computer it will be possible to examine the statistical associations between prison work/training and re-offending. The post-release employment data will be available in the summer of 2009 while the re-offending data will be available in 2010.
	In respect of previous findings, a review by the then Department for Education and Skills(1) concluded that prison-based employment interventions were effective in helping offenders gain and retain employment.
	There is recognition of the role of employment agencies and employers in helping to secure employment for ex-prisoners in England and Wales. The emerging evidence on basic skills training in prison suggests that these courses can improve prisoners' skills(2).
	In terms of international evidence, a United States study examined evaluations of programmes that attempt to augment the educational, vocational, and job skills of adult offenders in both prison and community settings and found that on average, these programmes do reduce re-offending(3). Another study evaluated the impact of prison work and vocational and apprenticeship training on post-prison rates of employment and offending among a study group and a comparison sample matched on a range of factors predictive of participation in the scheme and other demographic and background variables. The study group was 35 per cent. less likely to breach the terms of their supervision or be re-arrested during the first 12 months following release. The study group was also 14 per cent. more likely to be employed(4).
	(1) Hurry, J., Brazier L., Parker M, and Wilson A., (2006). Rapid evidence assessment of interventions that promote employment for offenders. London: Department for Education and Skills.
	(2) Stewart, D. (2005). An evaluation of basic skills training for prisoners. Home Office Research Findings 260. London: Home Office.
	(3) Washington State Institute for Public Policy (2006). Evidence-Based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does Not. Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Available online at:
	www.wsipp.wa.gov
	(4) Saylor, W.G. and Gaes, G.G. (1997) 'Training inmates through industrial work participation and vocational and apprenticeship instruction'. Corrections Management Quarterly, 1 (2) 32-43

Prisons: Per Capita Costs

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his latest assessment is of the cost of keeping an adult male in prison for 10 years.

David Hanson: The overall average resource cost per prisoner in England and Wales in 2007-08 was £39,000 (rounded to nearest £500); for 10 years this would equate to £390,000. A separate figure for adults is not available. This excludes prisoners held in police and court cells under Operation Safeguard. The figure includes some estimation and is given to the nearest £500. Expenditure met by other Government Departments (eg for health and education) is not included. The prisoner escort service is included.

Prisons: Transport for London

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners in England and Wales are undertaking work for Transport for London.

Shahid Malik: There are currently no prisoners in England and Wales undertaking work for Transport for London.

Probation: Cambridgeshire

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the flat cash grant allocation is for the Cambridgeshire probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(2)  what the forecast shortfall is for the flat cash grant allocation Cambridgeshire probation area in  (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  what the estimated share of national savings the Cambridgeshire probation area is expected to achieve in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(4)  how many staff employed by his Department he expects to be lost through  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in the Cambridgeshire probation area during (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Devon and Cornwall

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the flat cash grant allocation for the Devon and Cornwall probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12 is;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the share of national probation service savings to accrue from the Devon and Cornwall probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  how many staff he expects the Probation Service to lose through  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy from the Devon and Cornwall probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry Of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Essex

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the  (a) flat cash grant allocation,  (b) forecast shortfall and  (c) estimated share is of Probation Service national savings for the Essex probation area in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of staff who will leave the Probation Service through  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in the Essex probation area in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Gwent

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what percentage of national probation services savings are expected to be made by the Gwent probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(2)  what the flat cash grant allocation is for the Gwent probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  how many staff he estimates will be lost through  (a) retirement,  (b) redundancy and  (c) natural wastage in Gwent probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: South Yorkshire

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the flat cash grant allocation for the South Yorkshire probation area is in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the reduction in future planned spending for the South Yorkshire probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  what the estimated share of national savings from the Probation Service's budget is which falls to the South Yorkshire probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the number of Probation Service staff expected to leave the South Yorkshire probation area as a result of  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the flat cash grant allocation for the Gloucestershire probation area is for  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the share of national Probation Service savings to be contributed by the Gloucestershire probation area for  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of Probation Service staff expected to leave the Gloucestershire probation area as a result of  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(4)  what the reduction in planned expenditure there will be for the Gloucestershire probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Greater London

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the grant allocation for the London probation area will be in  (a) cash and  (b) real terms in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(2)  what the estimated share of national savings from the Probation Service's budget is which falls to the London probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  how many staff he estimates will be lost through  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in the London probation area during (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of staff who will leave the Probation Service through  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in the Hampshire probation area in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(2)  what the  (a) flat cash grant allocation,  (b) forecast shortfall and  (c) estimated share of national Probation Service savings are for the Hampshire probation area for (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Leicestershire

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimated share of the total Probation Service budget will be allocated to the Leicestershire probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(2)  how many Probation Service staff will be lost through either natural wastage, retirement or redundancy in the Leicestershire probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  what the flat cash grant allocation for the Leicestershire probation area is in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Norfolk

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the  (a) flat cash grant allocation and  (b) forecast shortfall is for the Norfolk Probation Area in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(2)  what estimated share of Probation Service national savings the Norfolk probation area is expected to achieve in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of staff employed by his Department who will leave through  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in the Norfolk probation area during (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: North Wales

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the flat cash grant allocation is for the North Wales Probation Area for  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of probation service staff expected to leave the Dyfed Powys Probation Area as a result of  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(3)  what the flat cash grant allocation for the Dyfed Powys Probation Area is for  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the number of Probation Service staff expected to leave the North Wales Probation Area as a result of  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: South Wales

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of Probation Service staff expected to leave the South Wales Probation Area as a result of  (a) natural wastage,  (b) retirement and  (c) redundancy in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the share of National Probation Service savings which will be achieved by South Wales probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  what the flat cash grant allocation for the South Wales probation area is for  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Probation: Thames Valley

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the  (a) flat cash allocation and  (b) forecast shortfall is for the Thames Valley probation area in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(2)  what estimated share of Probation Service national savings the Thames Valley probation area is expected to achieve in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of people employed by his Department who will leave the Thames Valley probation area in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12 through (i) retirement, (ii) redundancy and (iii) natural wastage;
	(4)  what the estimated share of savings to be achieved by the Probation Service is for each of the Wales Probation Areas in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the number of Probation Service staff expected to leave the Wales Probation areas as a result of  (a) retirement,  (b) redundancy and (c) natural wastage in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12;
	(6)  what the flat cash allocation is for each of the Wales Probation Areas in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12;

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
	Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
	Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department left under  (a) involuntary and  (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 2005-06; how many of them in each case were paid (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000 in the year before they left; and how much (A) was spent in each of those years and (B) is planned to be spent on such schemes in 
	(1)  2008-09 and (2) 2009-10 by (Y) his Department and its predecessor (Z) each of his Department's agencies;
	(2)  how many of his Department's staff who left under  (a) an involuntary and  (b) a voluntary exit scheme in each year since 2005-06 received a severance package of (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: There have been no compulsory redundancies since the creation of the MoJ in May 2007. Data on the number and costs for voluntary staff exits are not held centrally in the format requested and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Looking forward, it has been clear since the publication of MoJ's CSR07 settlement that the Department and its constituent bodies would have to reduce previously planned budgets. The MoJ will be taking all necessary steps to reduce overheads, remove duplication and increase efficiencies in order to prioritise front line services.
	The efficiency savings plan for MoJ for 2008-09 is underway. We are developing over the next few months the performance and efficiency plan for MoJ and its constituent bodies to cover 2009-10 and 2010-11. When that plan is agreed for 2009-10 and 2010-11, we will be in a position to inform Parliament of the impact on MoJ.

Repossession Orders: Mortgages

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his most recent estimate is of the number of home repossessions in Chipping Barnet constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: There were 184 mortgage possession orders made and 325 landlord possession orders made at Barnet county court in the third quarter of 2008.
	The civil procedure rules state that all claims for the repossession of land must be commenced in the district in which the land is situated. However, county courts jurisdictions are not coterminous with borough or constituency boundaries. Therefore the above figures are likely to count possession orders relating to properties in a number of other constituencies besides Chipping Barnet.
	These figures do not indicate how many homes have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order being made while not all court orders result in repossession. Figures showing the number of repossessions of mortgaged homes are published separately by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Financial Services Authority. However, these are not available at regional or constituency level.

Secure Training Centres

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been detained in secure training centres in the last 12 months.

David Hanson: Between 1 November 2007 and 31 October 2008, in 318 cases where a young person was remanded to the care of a local authority with a secure requirement, he or she was accommodated (with the Secretary of State's consent, under section 23 (7A) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969) in a secure training centre. During the same period, in 671 cases where a young person received a custodial sentence, he or she was accommodated in a secure training centre. These figures, which have been supplied by the Youth Justice Board, count separately any instance where a young person was accommodated in a secure training centre on more than one occasion.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length of  (a) custodial sentence handed down by magistrates' courts and  (b) sentence served in prison is by persons sentenced by magistrates' courts in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: The average custodial sentence length handed down by magistrates courts has been three months in each of the last three years (2004-06) for which annually published statistics are available. Data for 2007 will become available once "Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales, 2007" has been published on 27 November.
	All offenders sentenced to less than 12 months are released automatically half way through their sentence. They may also be eligible for earlier release on end of custody licence or home detention curfew. In addition, foreign national prisoners who are to be deported at the end of sentence may be liable for earlier removal under the Early Removal Scheme.
	Adults are not subject to supervision following release, but young offenders are subject to a minimum of three months supervision. All are 'at risk' until the very end of their sentence; that is, if they commit a further imprisonable offence before the end of their original sentence, the court dealing with the new offence may add all or part of the outstanding sentence to any new sentence it imposes.
	The following table shows the proportion of sentence served in custody by prisoners discharged from sentences of six months or less. The average sentence length for young offenders is longer than for adult offenders, reflecting the fact that DTO sentences (which apply to juveniles) have a minimum sentence length of four months. The figures include those sentenced in the Crown Court; it is not possible to separately provide the information for those sentenced by magistrates courts. This information was published in tables 9.1 and 9.2 of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2007, a copy of which is available via the Library of the House, and on the Ministry of Justice website at
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm.
	
		
			  Average time served in prison by prisoners discharged from sentences of six months or less on completion of sentence or on licence( 1,2) 
			   Adults  Young offenders 
			   2005  2006  2007  2005  2006  2007 
			 Number of discharges(3,4) 36,600 34,100 32,500 7,800 7,500 7,800 
			 Average sentence length in months(5) 3 3 3 4 4 4 
			 Average time served including remand in months(5) 2 2 2 2 2 2 
			 Percentage of time served including remand(5) 47 48 48 52 53 53 
			 (1) Methodology has been revised. Totals may not match previously published data. (2) On discharge: the sentence may change after reception if there are further charges or an appeal. (3) Excludes discharges following recall after release on licence, non-criminals, persons committed to custody for non-payment of a fine, persons reclassified as adult prisoners and deported prisoners. (4) Rounded to the nearest 100. Due to rounding sub totals may not match grand totals. (5) Rounded to nearest whole number.

Sentencing

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average age of persons sentenced to custodial sentences was in each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: All adult offenders where the age has not been reported to the Ministry of Justice are assumed to be age 25. This will create a bias in the calculation of average age and therefore we do not produce figures on this basis.

Unpaid Fines: Sentencing

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of the prison population in England and Wales were in prison for non-payment of fines on 1 April  (a) 2008,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2005 and  (e) 2004.

David Hanson: The following table gives the number of fine defaulters held in all prison establishments in England and Wales at 31 March in each year from 2004 to 2008.
	
		
			   All fine defaulters 
			 2004 75 
			 2005 52 
			 2006 102 
			 2007 83 
			 2008 88 
		
	
	This information is available at the Ministry of Justice website at the following address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Valuation Office: Land Registry

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1985W, on Valuation Office: Land Registry, when the agency became a registered user of the Land Registry Direct Service.

Michael Wills: The Valuation Office Agency have set up a number of accounts with Land Registry Direct for their different offices across England and Wales. Their first account was set up in February 2007.

Valuation Office: Land Registry

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1985W, on Valuation Office: Land Registry, what  (a) property information and  (b) individual property attributes the Valuation Office Agency has access to as a consequence of its membership of the Land Registry Direct Service.

Michael Wills: The Valuation Office Agency will be able to obtain the same information as any other users of Land Registry's services, whether they are in the public or private sector. As users of Land Registry Direct, the Valuation Office Agency will have access to our register. The Land Register has been available for public inspection since December 1990 and official copies of registers, title plans and deeds and most documents referred to on the register can be obtained by post or electronically. The information included on a register is:
	title number of property or land;
	the tenure (freehold or leasehold);
	the price paid (where available);
	the name of the registered proprietor(s);
	lease details (deed date, term, rent);
	property address, including town name;
	property description (detached, flat etc.); and
	local authority name.
	There are over 21 million titles registered with Land Registry covering England and Wales.

Youth Offending Teams: Standards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what national performance targets have been set for youth offending teams; and what the performance of Torbay youth offending team was against those targets in 2007-08.

David Hanson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 October 2008,  Official Report, column 53W, which shows the national performance targets and Torbay youth offending team's performance for 2007-08. It also shows the national performance targets and Torbay youth offending team's performance in 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Asylum

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Government of Pakistan on the Afghan refugees now living in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government have regular discussions with the Government of Pakistan on the issue of Afghan refugees. The Department for International Development (DFID) is involved in this process.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how the continuing effectiveness of development projects completed in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq in each of the last five years is assessed;
	(2)  how many development projects completed in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in each of the last five years are still operational.

Douglas Alexander: The need to ensure our projects deliver lasting benefits is central to the design of all projects, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. Particular attention is given in project design to ensure that our partner organisations (in particular governments) have the resources (money and capacities) to continue to provide the benefits the project was designed to deliver. Project implementation progress is closely monitored through formal annual reviews—and once complete, a thorough Project Completion Report (PCR) is undertaken to assess future impact and lessons learned. Thereafter, ongoing operation of completed individual projects lies with the recipient partner. To the extent of our knowledge, all the completed projects in both Iraq and Afghanistan are still delivering the expected benefits.
	In addition, DFID's Evaluation Department manage a series of independent country evaluations which build on all PCRs and further reviews to provide further assessment of the impact of programmes. These evaluations are mandatory for all countries where DFID has major involvement and are timed to fit into the country planning cycle so that lessons learned are incorporated into future interventions. An evaluation of the Afghanistan country programme is currently ongoing.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what restrictions staff of his Department deployed under Foreign and Commonwealth Office deployment rules in Afghanistan have had placed upon them.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not comment on specific issues of staff security overseas.

Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what stabilisation advisers' posts there are in Afghanistan; and to whom the post holders are responsible.

Douglas Alexander: There are currently seven Stabilisation Officer posts in Helmand: two in Musa Qala; two in Sangin; one in Gereshk, and; two in Garmsir. All Stabilisation Officers report within the reporting structure of the Helmand Civil Military Mission—to the Deputy Head (Delivery). In addition, a Stabilisation Adviser in Kandahar provides advice to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Regional Command (South).

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisors

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department assist special advisers; and what the cost of employing such staff was in each of the last three years.

Douglas Alexander: One civil servant supports the special advisers in my office, providing administrative support of a non-political nature in accordance with the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".
	Individual civil servants' salary details are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned. Costs will be accounted for in the Department's annual resource accounts.

Human Rights: Women

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in implementing the UK's National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK National Action Plan is a policy framework against which the UK monitors progress on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Detailed updates on progress against the plan are published periodically on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/unscr-1325-uk-action-plan.
	Recent progress includes the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1820 in June this year, focussing on longer-term measures to tackle sexual violence in conflict, and a Security Council Open Debate on 'Women, Peace and Security' which reiterated the need to strengthen the participation of women in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The UK played a major role in this debate and drafted a presidential statement that was adopted by the Council on 29 October. This called on the Secretary-General to appoint more women to senior operational UN positions and to provide the Security Council with a report and recommendations on this issue. By working closely with the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), the UK is also making good progress on its aim to ensure that planning for Peace Support Operations includes gender components, and that they recruit more female military and police personnel.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how many staff in his Department left under  (a) involuntary and  (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 2005-06; how many of them in each case were paid (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000 in the year before they left; and how much (A) was spent in each of those years and (B) is planned to be spent on such schemes in (1) 2008-09 and (2) 2009-10 by his Department;
	(2)  how many of his Department's staff who left under  (a) an involuntary and  (b) a voluntary exit scheme in each year since 2005-06 received a severance package of (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: DFID had no compulsory redundancies in 2005-06 or since.
	The following table shows the number of staff whose voluntary departure was approved by DFID under early retirement or early severance schemes in each year:
	
		
			   Up to £25,000  £25,001 to £50,000  £50,001 to £75,000  £75,001 to £100,000  Over £100,000  Total 
			 2005-06 18 9 5 2 0 34 
			 2006-07 (1)15 14 3 0 0 32 
			 2007-08 (2)55 26 12 3 0 96 
			 (1) One member of staff was on a career break, so no salary was paid in the year before departure (2) Three staff were on career breaks, so no salary was paid to them in the year before departure. 
		
	
	Compensation for early departure, is paid from the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. DFID meets the cost of early departures, including the cost of lump sum severance payments and the additional cost of any benefits beyond the normal Civil Service Pension Scheme benefits in respect of those employees who retire early.
	The following table shows the total cost of early departure made by DFID in each year since 2005-06, which in some cases is spread over a number of years until the individual attains pension age but is recorded against the year in which departure was first agreed. It would incur disproportionate cost to provide the costs incurred in each year for each departure.
	
		
			  £000 
			 2005-06 2,656 
			 2006-07 3,220 
			 2007-08 7,308 
		
	
	To date, four early departure provisions have been made in 2008-09 at a total cost of £256,950. There are no current plans for any further early departures in 2008-09 or 2009-10.

Stabilisation Unit

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the Stabilisation Unit's performance against its aim of improving its understanding of the tasks involved in a stabilisation effort in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq.

Douglas Alexander: The Stabilisation Unit seeks continually to learn lessons from the UK's experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as from other partners and theatres. Its understanding of stabilisation is summarised in two documents. In June 2008, the Stabilisation Unit produced its "Stabilisation Task Matrix", which describes a menu of tasks which might be required to achieve stability and suggests who would need to take lead responsibility (the military, the police or civilians) for each task in "non-permissive" and "permissive" environments. The primary purpose of the Matrix is to enable the UK to further develop its capability to meet future challenges. The Matrix will be reviewed by spring 2009. Later this month, the Stabilisation Unit will also publish the "UK Approach to Stabilisation", which will describe emerging UK experience and best practice.
	Both documents will be available on the Stabilisation Unit's web-site:
	www.stabilisationunit.gov.uk.

Stabilisation Unit

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the Stabilisation Unit's performance against its aim of improving capacity to finance stabilisation activities to achieve desired effects in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government have increased the funding available for stabilisation activities, and have put in place a better mechanism for managing these funds.
	In April 2008, the UK Government established the Stabilisation Aid Fund (SAF) as a shared budget to support stabilisation activities. The SAF has improved the effectiveness of UK stabilisation operations by requiring and enabling a more integrated approach to their development, management and delivery.
	I refer the hon. Member to my answer given on 5 March 2008,  Official  Report, column 2578W, to the hon. Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer), regarding the role of the Stabilisation Unit in respect of the Stabilisation Aid Fund.

Stabilisation Unit

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the Stabilisation Unit's performance against its aim of getting SMARTer at delivering key enablers in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government have made significant progress in the past year, to ensure that key enablers (transport, accommodation, communications, and close protection) are in place in Afghanistan and Iraq.
	In Afghanistan, the UK Government have leased a Beechcraft to provide a 'shuttle run' between Kabul and Lashkar Gah and to increase our reach elsewhere in the country. We expect to increase this capability in this next year. Access to rotary assets has improved but remains perhaps the greatest constraint on civilian movement. There are now sufficient vehicles in theatre (or on order) to meet the requirement. The construction of permanent office and personal accommodation for civilian teams in Sangin, Musa Qala, Gereshk and Garmsir has enabled the UK Government to dramatically improve their engagement with communities to deliver the UK strategy in Helmand.
	A visit by FCO Operations Group to Afghanistan this month will assess future requirements, across platform and transport.
	Our engagement in Iraq is more established, and we have the assets in place to fulfil our mission.
	The Stabilisation Unit maintains a rapidly-deployable expeditionary capability including armoured vehicles, deployable accommodation, and communications. We will be reviewing this capability early next year to identify any possible enhancements required.

Stabilisation Unit

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development by what means the Stabilisation Unit develops and maintains operating capacity in support of stabilisation operations in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: The Stabilisation Unit primarily delivers through the civilian experts it deploys. It is taking a number of steps to improve its ability to provide high quality experts on as sustainable basis, to Afghanistan, Iraq and other theatres. There are two principal initiatives.
	First, in August it started a nine month process to improve the quality of its database of civilian experts by turning it from a list of 900 people where most experts have only been subject to a basic paper sift to one where all experts will have been assessed face-to-face against professional and behavioural requirements. This greater understanding will enable the Unit to improve its ability to respond to demands for experts.
	Second, civilian experts need to be properly prepared to work and live in what can be professionally challenging and austere conditions. The unit is improving its existing training prior to their deployment. By December the unit will complete the design of a more extensive structured, tailored development programme for deploying experts to Afghanistan with implementation on a pilot basis starting in January 2009.

Zimbabwe: International Assistance

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department proposes should be taken to address the shortfalls in funding for the World Food Programme's operations in Zimbabwe; and what assessment has been made of the effects of those shortfalls on the provision of humanitarian aid in the country.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government have contributed £9 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) appeal for Zimbabwe this year, making it the second largest donor to this appeal so far. We are encouraging other donors who have not yet done so to make a contribution. We are also working with WFP on the ground to review ways of ensuring that the current supply of food aid is used to maximum effect. Donor contributions so far have ensured that WFP operations are fully funded until January 2009.
	A national nutritional survey, conducted by the UN, is almost complete. As soon as the data are available, we will be able to assess with more confidence the effects of current food shortages and the case for a further contribution. We will also be weighing the need for further food aid against other life-saving humanitarian priorities.

TREASURY

11 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the budget was for the recent repairs to 11 Downing Street; whether planning permission was required; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the schedule of the works  (a) undertaken to date and  (b) planned.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury pays a contribution to the Cabinet Office for the rent and service charge of the space used by HM Treasury and by the Chancellor of the Exchequer within the Downing Street estate. There are no separate charges for maintenance and renovation. Costs incurred on refurbishments and improvements to the Downing Street complex in 2008-09 will be available when the Cabinet Office resource accounts are fully audited and laid before Parliament.

Bank Services

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department  (a) has commissioned,  (b) plans to commission and  (c) has evaluated on trends in the numbers of people who (i) exceed their overdraft limit and (ii) have a cheque or direct debit refused; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: On 16 July 2008, the OFT published the results of its market study into personal current accounts, which considered customers who exceeded arranged overdraft limits and had insufficient funds to meet cheque and direct debit payments. The OFT's report is available at:
	http://www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources/resource_base/marketstudies/current/personal/pca/
	On 4 November, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) published a consultation document, "Regulating retail banking conduct of business (CP08/19)", on proposed reforms of the regulation of retail banking services.

Banks: Iceland

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what commitments were given to him during the first week of October by the Icelandic finance minister in relation to obligations to British depositors.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 3 November 2008
	 The Chancellor had a number of conversations throughout October with the Icelandic Finance Minister and Icelandic Prime Minister, and no commitments were provided.

Banks: Isle of Man

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on assistance for UK citizens with savings in Isle of Man banks that have gone into receivership.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 23 October 2008
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 5 November 2008,  Official Report, column 539W to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne).

Cost Effectiveness

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department received its first Value For Money programme report from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; and what assessment he has made of the report.

Yvette Cooper: Departments are responsible for delivering, monitoring and reporting on progress against their CSR07 VFM targets and will report on initial progress in their autumn performance reports. The National Audit Office have agreed to audit reported gains on a departmental basis during the course of the programme.

Council Tax: Valuation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1669W, on council tax: valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance provided to Valuation Office Agency staff on using the Agency's council tax banding support tool.

Stephen Timms: The guidance provided to Valuation Office Agency Staff known as 'MAT2 Case Worker Application—User Guide' will be placed in the Library. Any commercially sensitive or confidential information has been redacted.

Departmental Advertising

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years.

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its executive agencies spent on (i) recruitment consultants and (ii) external recruitment advertising to recruit staff in each of the last five financial years; which recruitment consultants were employed for those purposes in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 16 October 2008
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 116W to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban). In 2007-08 the total spend for advertising costs was £381,000, the majority of the Treasury's spending on advertising is for the purpose of recruitment. Information on recruitment consultants used in the last five years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department uses the Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages.

Angela Eagle: It does.

Departmental Retirement

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees of his Department have been asked to retire on reaching 65 in each year since 2000.

Angela Eagle: The mandatory retirement age in the Treasury is 65. Before the change in legislation in October 2006 the mandatory retirement age was 60. No employees of HM Treasury have been asked to retire on reaching 65 in any year since 2000.

Departmental Surveillance

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have made under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to (i) undertake directed surveillance, (ii) use covert human intelligence sources, (iii) acquire communications data and (iv) undertake intrusive surveillance in the last 24 months.

Angela Eagle: Figures on public authority use of covert techniques controlled by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ('RIPA') are published annually by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner and the Intelligence Services Commissioner who each have particular inspection and oversight responsibilities under RIPA. The latest reports were laid before Parliament and copies placed in the House Library on 22 July. The figures provided in the reports are not broken down by individual public authority use of specific covert technique as, depending on the particular technique and authority using it, this could either reveal sensitivities or be misleading. The question of further disclosure for any particular public authority is a matter for the relevant Commissioner.

Economic and Monetary Union

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to assess the UK's progress in meeting the five economic tests in joining the euro.

Ian Pearson: The Chancellor announced in Budget 2008 that
	"the Government does not propose a euro assessment to be initiated at the time of this budget."
	The Treasury will again review the situation at Budget time next year as required by the Chancellor's June 2003 statement.

Economic and Monetary Union

Michael Ancram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has held with his counterparts in the eurozone on membership of the single currency.

Ian Pearson: Treasury Ministers discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in other countries, including the eurozone. The Government's policy on membership of the single currency in unchanged. It remains as set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.

Economic Situation: Hungary

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he made of the effect of the financial crisis in Hungary and Belarus on the UK economy.

Ian Pearson: The UK's exposure to Hungary and Belarus is small and the direct effect of the financial crises in these countries on the UK economy is likely to be limited.

Energy: Prices

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an index of domestic energy prices  (a) in total and  (b) separately for (i) gas and (ii) electricity for each year since 1998.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out an index of domestic energy prices (a) in total and (b) separately for (i) gas and (ii) electricity for each year since 1998. (234196)
	Energy prices are included in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and are collected each month by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The above indices are published monthly, and attached is a spreadsheet containing the annual data for each since 1998.
	
		
			   D7CH PUBL 15 January 2008  D7DU PUBL 15 January 2008  D7DT PUBL 15 January 2008 
			 1998 79 75 88 
			 1999 79 75 87 
			 2000 79 73 85 
			 2001 80 75 84 
			 2002 81 80 84 
			 2003 83 82 85 
			 2004 88 88 90 
			 2005 100 100 100 
			 2006 125 131 122 
			 2007 134 141 131 
			 D7CH—CPI Index 04.5: Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels 2005=100 D7DU—CPI Index 04.5.2: Gas 2005=100 D7DT—CPI Index 04.5.1: Electricity 2005=100

Equitable Life

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the Government's response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life.

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government will respond to the Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life.

Ian Pearson: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1000W.

Financial Services Authority

Nick Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells of 30 April 2008, column 476W, on the Financial Services Authority: College Public Policy, if he will place in the Library a copy of the reply from the Chairman;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells of 30 April 2008, column 476W, on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme: Lansons Public Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the reply from the Chairman.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 20 November 2008
	Treasury Ministers were not a party to the correspondence and are therefore not in a position to deposit the letter concerned in the Library.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the financial services compensation scheme levies on the building society sector.

Ian Pearson: The rules under which the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) raises levies from financial services firms are set by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) as set out in the FSA Handbook on its website. The accounts of the scheme and information about levies are set out in the FSCS's annual report and on its website.
	Building societies are members of the FSCS and their depositors benefit from the cover provided by the FSCS in the same way as bank depositors.

Housing: Valuation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 6 November 2008,  Official Report, column 682W, on housing: valuation, if he will place in the Library a list of locality reference numbers for valuation areas in England outside London ranked in order of value significance by valuation area.

Stephen Timms: This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been in the  (a) lowest and  (b) highest income tax band in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Timms: Information on the number of taxpayers by marginal rate of income tax for the period 1990-91 to 2008-09 can be found in Table 2.1 "Number of individual income taxpayers" on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm

Inflation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government has taken to address the problems associated with rising inflation.

Angela Eagle: In common with experience across the world, UK inflation increased during 2008 as the surge in global commodity prices fed through to retail prices of food, petrol and diesel, and household energy bills. In the UK, CPI inflation increased from 2.2 per cent. in December 2007 to a peak of 5.2 per cent. by September 2008 before falling back to 4.5 per cent. in October.
	With global commodity prices having fallen sharply since the summer, petrol and diesel prices have already declined by 12 per cent. and food price inflation appears to have passed its peak. In line with external forecasts, CPI inflation is expected to fall sharply over the coming year.
	The Government have shown its continued determination to help families and businesses affected by higher global prices, with targeted support when people need it most.

Kaupthing Singer and Friedland: Isle of Man

Brian Binley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on guaranteeing investments in Kaupthing, Singer and Friedland held in the Isle of Man by individuals who are treated as corporate clients.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 27 October 2008
	 I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 5 November 2008,  Official Report, column 539W.

Northern Rock

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to designating Northern Rock a public authority for the purposes of the Welsh Language Act 1993.

Ian Pearson: There has been no such consideration. As the Chief Secretary to the Treasury explained to the House on 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 634-37, Northern Rock is not performing a function of public administration. During its period of temporary public ownership Northern Rock is being managed at arm's length from the Government on commercial principles.

Pensioners: Income

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the income decile boundaries are  (a) excluding state pension and benefits and  (b) including state pension and benefits for people (i) between 60 and 65, (ii) between 65 and 70, (iii) between 70 and 75, (iv) between 75 and 80 and (v) over 80 years.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	This information is given in the following tables.
	The Households Below Average Income publication uses equivalised household disposable incomes before and after housing costs as a proxy for material living standards. Both before and after housing cost incomes are net of income tax, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates, pension contributions, maintenance/child support payments and parental contributions to students.
	Negative before housing costs incomes are possible if a loss is made from self-employment, however any such incomes are set to zero as part of the Households Below Average Income methodology. This means that all before housing costs income are zero or greater. After housing cost incomes can be negative if housing costs exceed the before housing cost incomes. All incomes excluding benefit income can be negative, as no further adjustment beyond removing benefit income is made.
	Benefits (particularly state pension, pension credit and disability benefits) are key elements of pensioner incomes. Incomes excluding such benefits are based mainly on earnings, investment income, self-employed earnings, private pension and other miscellaneous sources, will frequently be very small or negative, and will therefore not reflect the standard of living for a household.
	Distributions by equivalised income decile below are based on a three-year average to help take account of small sample sizes in certain deciles and statistical variation across the years. Decile boundaries are presented in 2006-07 prices.
	
		
			  Table 1: Household income decile boundaries including state pension and benefits by age band, before housing costs, 2004-05 to 2006-07, United Kingdom 
			  £ 
			  Age  Decile 1  Decile 2  Decile 3  Decile 4  Decile 5  Decile 6  Decile 7  Decile 8  Decile 9  Decile 10 
			 60-64 <179 179 to 235 236 to 275 276 to 319 320 to 364 365 to 419 420 to 489 490 to 582 583 to 747 748+ 
			 65-69 <190 190 to 231 232 to 262 263 to 291 292 to 326 327 to 370 371 to 426 427 to 506 507 to 653 654+ 
			 70-74 <186 186 to 223 224 to 251 252 to 277 278 to 306 307 to 343 344 to 387 388 to 451 452 to 576 577+ 
			 75-79 <179 179 to 209 210 to 236 237 to 262 263 to 289 290 to 322 323 to 364 365 to 424 425 to 529 530+ 
			 80+ <172 172 to 202 203 to 234 235 to 263 264 to 291 292 to 323 324 to 365 366 to 417 418 to 503 504+ 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 : Household income decile boundaries including state pension and benefits by age band,  after  housing costs, 2004-05 to 2006-07, United Kingdom 
			  £ 
			  Age  Decile 1  Decile 2  Decile 3  Decile 4  Decile 5  Decile 6  Decile 7  Decile 8  Decile 9  Decile 10 
			 60-64 <154 154 to 196 197 to 243 244 to 289 290 to 335 336 to 390 391 to 459 460 to 552 553 to 715 716+ 
			 65-69 <170 170 to 202 203 to 233 234 to 267 268 to 302 303 to 349 350 to 406 407 to 484 485 to 639 640+ 
			 70-74 <170 170 to 199 200 to 225 226 to 255 256 to 287 288 to 327 328 to 371 372 to 438 439 to 564 565+ 
			 75-79 <166 166 to 192 193 to 214 215 to 237 238 to 265 266 to 303 304 to 349 350 to 410 411 to 529 530+ 
			 80+ <154 154 to 188 189 to 209 210 to 235 236 to 267 268 to 305 306 to 350 351 to 401 402 to 495 496+ 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Household income decile boundaries excluding state pension and benefits by age band, before housing costs, 2004-05 to 2006-07, United Kingdom 
			  £ 
			  Age  Decile 1  Decile 2  Decile 3  Decile 4  Decile 5  Decile 6  Decile 7  Decile 8  Decile 9  Decile 10 
			 60-64 <-15 -15 to 34 35 to 111 112 to 188 189 to 259 260 to 329 330 to 411 412 to 511 512 to 686 687+ 
			 65-69 <-17 -17 to 0 1 to 38 39 to 78 79 to 119 120 to 176 177 to 245 246 to 336 337 to 494 495+ 
			 70-74 <-17 -17 to -4 -3 to 24 25 to 53 54 to 88 89 to 129 130 to 191 192 to 266 267 to 398 399+ 
			 75-79 <-16 -16 to -8 -7 to 9 10 to 33 34 to 62 63 to 100 101 to 152 153 to 228 229 to 350 351+ 
			 80+ <-17 -17 to -13 -12 to -5 -4 to 12 13 to 36 37 to 70 71 to 118 119 to 190 191 to 310 311+ 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4 : Household income decile boundaries excluding state pension and benefits by age band,  after  housing costs, 2004-05 to 2006-07, United Kingdom 
			  £ 
			  Age  Decile 1  Decile 2  Decile 3  Decile 4  Decile 5  Decile 6  Decile 7  Decile 8  Decile 9  Decile 10 
			 60-64 <-55 -55 to 7 8 to 88 89 to 163 164 to 232 233 to 302 303 to 382 383 to 478 479 to 647 648+ 
			 65-69 <-68 -68 to -22 -21 to 15 16 to 57 58 to 102 103 to 158 159 to 225 226 to 313 314 to 471 472+ 
			 70-74 <-70 -70 to -26 -25 to 1 2 to 34 35 to 71 72 to 114 115 to 174 175 to 251 252 to 382 383+ 
			 75-79 <-80 -80 to -32 -31 to -14 -13 to 11 12 to 41 42 to 83 84 to 137 138 to 214 215 to 341 342+ 
			 80+ <-106 -106 to-57 -56 to -30 -29 to-15 -14 to 10 11 to 47 48 to 103 104 to 177 178 to 299 300+ 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income data. 2. The reference period for household below average income figures is single financial years. Distributions by equivalised income decile are based on a three-year average to help take account of small sample sizes in certain deciles and statistical variation across the years. Decile boundaries are presented in 2006-07 prices. 3. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication "Households Below Average Income" (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 4. The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors. 5. Figures have been presented on both a before housing cost and after housing cost basis. For before housing cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for after housing cost they are. 6. This response includes incomes for the lowest deciles of the population. These figures are not National Statistics and caution must be applied because those people stating the lowest incomes in the FRS may not actually have the lowest living standards. 7. Weekly incomes have been rounded to the nearest whole pound. 8. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response.

Private Equity: Taxation

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what taxation is applied by HM Revenue and Customs to profits on carried interests of individuals working in the private equity industry.

Stephen Timms: There is no specific tax treatment that applies to individuals working in private equity firms. The tax treatment of carried interest is prescribed by legislation on employment-related securities and applies to all individuals in receipt of these, not just to individuals working in the private equity industry.

Public Expenditure

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evaluation he has made of the effect on local economies of increases in public spending.

Angela Eagle: HM Treasury has not undertaken work to evaluate the effects of public spending at a local level. This is because total public spending data are not disaggregated to a local level.

Racial Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been  (a) investigated and  (b) upheld in the last 12 months.

Angela Eagle: The procedures for investigating complaints of racial abuse have been initiated less than five times in the last 12 months, I am not able to give the precise numbers on the grounds of confidentiality.

Revenue and Customs: Manpower

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) Civil Service staff and  (b) senior Civil Service staff were employed by HM Revenue and Customs when it was formed in 2005.

Stephen Timms: The first staff in post figures for the merged Department were produced on 30 April 2005. HMRC was formed on 18 April 2005.
	The total civil service staff in post for HM Revenue and Customs (including the senior civil service at that point was 104,696 headcount (97,046 full-time equivalent.)
	The number of senior civil service staff in post at that point was 407 headcount (401 FTE.)

Revenue and Customs: Manpower

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) Civil Service staff and  (b) senior Civil Service staff were employed by HM Revenue and Customs on 31st October 2008.

Stephen Timms: At 31 October 2008 the HM Revenue and Customs staff in post figures were:
	Civil service staff (including the SCS) numbered 88,295 headcount (81,055 full-time equivalent); and
	Senior civil staff numbered 413 headcount.

Tax Avoidance

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of  (a) tax avoidance schemes and  (b) tax avoided by individuals (i) artificially converting income into capital gains and (ii) taking bonuses not in cash but in instruments subject to capital gains tax when sold over the period 1997-98 to 2007-08.

Stephen Timms: The only estimates the Government have made of the cost to the public purse of direct tax avoidance schemes during the period since 1997-98 are contained in a paper published in March 2008 that set out analysis from 2005 that attempted to derive broad-brush estimates of the direct tax gap at the start of the current decade. The HMRC paper 'Measuring the "tax gap"—an update'
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/measuring-tax-gap.pdf
	summarises that analysis.

Tax Avoidance: Research

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has commissioned since 1997-98 on the potential cost to the public purse of  (a) tax avoidance schemes and  (b) tax avoided by individuals (i) artificially converting income into capital gains and (ii) taking bonuses not in cash but in instruments subject to capital gains tax; what the conclusions were of such research; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Neither HM Treasury nor HMRC have commissioned any such research.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's most recent Central Memorandum of Agreement.

Stephen Timms: A copy of the 2008-09 Valuation Office Agency's Central Memorandum of Agreement (IT), has been placed in the Library.

Valuation Office: Databases

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 6 November 2008,  Official Report, column 684W, on Valuation Office: databases, whether the database alignment exercise is being conducted with the support of external consultants.

Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.
	No.

Valuation: Information and Communications Technology

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much expenditure has been incurred on the Valuation Office Agency's Automated Valuation Model, including expenditure on contracts with external suppliers, to date.

Stephen Timms: To 30 September 2008 (the latest date for which figures are available), the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has spent approximately £13.1 million (excluding VAT) on its use of Automated Valuation Modelling (AVM) technology to support a range of its activities. The figure does not include staffing costs, which are not recorded separately.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Alcoholic Drinks: Licensing

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1090W, on alcoholic drinks: licensing, how many premises licences authorising the sale or supply of alcohol there were in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 after figures were scaled up to national totals for England and Wales.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The most recent DCMS Statistical Bulletin on Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment reports, as at 31 March 2007, there were around 155,200 premises licences authorising the sale or supply of alcohol (32,800 on-sale only; 44,500 off-sales only; and 77,900 with both on and off-sales of alcohol) for England and Wales, after figures were scaled up to national totals.
	As at 31 March 2008, there were around 162,300 premises licences authorising the sale or supply of alcohol (34,600 on-sale only; 47,000 off-sales only; and 80,800 with both on and off-sales of alcohol) for England and Wales, after figures were scaled up to national totals.

Arts

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Arts Council has taken to implement the objectives of the Creative Economy Programme.

Barbara Follett: Arts Council England is currently working with its national and regional offices to draft a delivery plan which will identify areas of activity that will contribute to its commitment to help deliver the objectives of the Creative Economy Programme. These will be aligned with their future work and will support Arts Council England's mission of great art for everyone. Arts Council England will finalise this plan in January 2009, which will include £6 million towards the find your talent pilots, encouraging the take-up of apprenticeships amongst its regularly funded organisations, and its contribution to skills development in the creative sectors.

Big Lottery Fund: Public Relations

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what public relations services were provided to the Big Lottery Fund by Cake in each of the last three years; and what the total cost was in each year.

Barbara Follett: The Big Lottery Fund have advised that Cake provided the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) with PR campaign support specifically for the one-off People's £50 million ITV public vote programme, which took place in 2007-08.
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost (£) 
			 2005-06 0 
			 2006-07 0 
			 2007-08 130,000

Big Lottery Fund: Public Relations

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations provided the Big Lottery Fund with public relations services in each of the last five years; and how much the Big Lottery Fund spent on public relations in each year.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 24 November 2008
	The Big Lottery Fund has advised that it has received public relations services from the following public relations service providers: Stan Blackley, Concourse Initiatives, Chocolate Communications, COI Communicators and Cake.
	
		
			  Financial year  Spend on public relations (£) 
			 2004-05 1,117 
			 2005-06 0 
			 2006-07 0 
			 2007-08 135,593

Churches Conservation Trust: Information Officers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by the Churches Conservation Trust on employing press and communications officers in each of the last five years.

Barbara Follett: The information requested has been provided by the Churches Conservation Trust. Inclusive of NIC and pensions, the total spent in each of the last five years is:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003-04 29,500 
			 2004-05 30,700 
			 2005-06 31,900 
			 2006-07 33,200 
			 2007-08 34,500 
			  Note: For consistency, figures are rounded up to the nearest £100

Conference Centres: Great London

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to promote the concept of a new major international conference centre in London.

Barbara Follett: In "Winning: A tourism strategy for 2012", published by the Department in September 2007, we reiterated the KPMG study of 2005 which advises that an international convention centre should be located in London. However, this is primarily a matter for the London Mayor and I will continue to work with his office on this decision.

Creative and Business International Network

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much he expects his Department to spend on the Creative and Business International Network in each of the next three years; and how much he expects the Network's inaugural meeting to cost.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 24 November 2008
	In Creative Britain—New Talents for the New Economy, we committed to launching a world creative business conference. The final cost of the event will depend on a number of factors, including the number of attendees. However, DCMS has allocated approximately £3 million to the delivery of this, now called the Creativity and Business International Network (C&binet) between 2008 and 2011. The approximate cost of C&binet's inaugural meeting, bringing together 20 leading international figures from the creative industries on 20 November in Liverpool, is £47,600 not including travel costs.

Creative and Business International Network

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many invitations to attend the inaugural Creative and Business International Network meeting have been sent; and how many recipients have indicated that they will attend.

Barbara Follett: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his earlier question on this subject, on 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1210W. No invitations have yet been sent. It is expected that formal registration for the event will begin next spring.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether there have been any incidents of loss of employees' personal data from  (a) his Department and  (b) the organisations for which his Department is responsible in each of the last three years; what procedures apply when such losses occur; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There have been no incidents of the loss of employees' personal data from my Department. I have been informed of one loss of personal data from an NDPB, which concerned payroll data including bank account details. The organization in question has informed staff, the Office of the Information Commissioner and the trade union side.
	All NDPBs have been informed of the recommendations of the Hannigan Review and clearly informed that the responsibility for ensuring the proper handling of personal data resides with their Accounting Officer.

Departmental Early Retirement

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many employees in his Department took early retirement in each of the last five financial years; and at what cost.

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many employees of his Department took early retirement in each of the last five financial years; and at what cost.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information relating to the overall early retirements numbers and costs in the last five years is contained in the table.
	
		
			   Number of staff  Overall cost to Department until the minimum pension age of 60 (£) 
			 2003-04 1 Confidentiality applies 
			 2004-05 Nil Not applicable 
			 2005-06 5 847,469.49 
			 2006-07 6 912,624.54 
			 2007-08 8 800,812.56

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department and its agency have spent on  (a) flat screen televisions,  (b) DVD players and  (c) stereo equipment in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has spent the following amounts in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Flat screen televisions  DVD players  Stereo equipment 
			 2005-06 (1)3,231 0 0 
			 2006-07 0 0 0 
			 2007-08 7,023 1,639 0 
			 (1) This amount includes a flat screen television, stand, protective screen and case. It is not possible to separate the cost of each item.

Departmental Information Officers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press and communications officers are employed by  (a) the British Library,  (b) the British Museum,  (c) the Geffrye Museum,  (d) the Horniman Museum and  (e) the Imperial War Museum.

Barbara Follett: The information requested has been provided by the following organisations:
	 The British Library
	The British Library currently employs nine full-time equivalent staff as press and communications officers.
	 The British Museum
	The British Museum currently employs four full-time equivalent staff as press and communications officers.
	 The Geffrye Museum
	The Geffrye Museum currently employs 1.8 full-time equivalent staff as press and communications officers.
	 The Horniman Museum
	The Horniman Museum currently employs one full-time equivalent member of staff as press and communications officer.
	 The Imperial War Museum
	The Imperial War Museum currently employs five full-time equivalent staff as press and communications officers.

Departmental Information Officers

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press officers his Department has employed in each year since 1997-98; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: The number of press officers employed by the Department in each year since 1997-98 and the cost, is shown in the table:
	
		
			   Number of press officers  Cost (£) 
			 1997-98 7 — 
			 1998-99 9 — 
			 1999-2000 8 — 
			 2000- 01 9 — 
			 2001-02 8 — 
			 2002-03 9 459,952 
			 2003- 04 10 552,677 
			 2004-05 9 466,206 
			 2005-06 (1)13 550,124 
			 2006-07 (1)13 733,412 
			 2007-08 11* 682,858 
			 (1) This includes press officers working on the Olympics. 
		
	
	The cost for each year is available only from 2002-03 as the information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Leave

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the rate of staff  (a) absenteeism and  (b) sickness absence was in (i) his Department, (ii) its agency and (iii) each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1997-98 to 2007-08; what the target rates in each case are for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the rate of staff  (a) absenteeism and  (b) sickness absence was in (i) his Department, (ii) its agency and (iii) its non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997-98; what targets have been set for his Department in each respect; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: (a) The rate of staff absenteeism for DCMS and the Royal Parks Agency (DCMS's executive agency) is zero.
	 (b) The sickness absence figures for DCMS and the Royal Parks Agency are contained in the annual report Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service published by the Cabinet Office, website at
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp
	The sickness absence reports on the Cabinet Office website cover the dates from 2003-07. DCMS and the Royal Parks Agency do not hold sickness absence records prior to 2003.
	
		
			  2007-08 
			  Department  Average working days lost (per staff) 
			 DCMS 4.8 
			 Royal Parks Agency 4 
		
	
	The Department does not have targets set for sickness absence. However, we continue to ensure that we monitor and manage sickness absence and to promote a healthy environment and culture in the Department through the Department's sickness absence policy.
	The information in relation to the non-departmental public bodies could be provided at only disproportionate costs.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisors

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department assist special advisers; and what the cost of employing such staff was in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In each of the last three years one Civil Servant has assisted the special advisers in my office. This Civil Servant provides administrative support of a non-political nature in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and the Civil Service Code.
	Individual Civil Servants' salary details are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisors

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department has been in the last 12 months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None. The Government Car Agency does not provide officials cars for special advisers.

Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department uses the Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Royal Mail is the primary company used by the Department for sending post, parcels and packages.

Departmental Press Releases

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases were issued by his Department in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases his Department has issued in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: The number of press releases issued by the Department in each year since 1997-98 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of releases 
			 1997-98 315 
			 1998-99 338 
			 1999-2000 294 
			 2000-01 370 
			 2001-02 227 
			 2002-03 160 
			 2003-04 116 
			 2004-05 181 
			 2005-06 154 
			 2006-07 165 
			 2007-08 130

Departmental Public Relations

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department completed its preliminary review of its Public Engagement and Recognition Unit; which grade of official carried out the review; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We regularly monitor the performance of the Public Engagement and Recognition Unit (PERU) but as yet there has been no review of the unit. PERU, along with the other outputs of the DCMS change programme, will be examined in the course of the Capability Re-review of DCMS which will begin in January 2009. The findings of that Re-review will be published.

Departmental Recruitment

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on recruitment consultants in each of the last five years; and which companies provided these services.

Barbara Follett: The table shows how much my Department spent on recruitment consultants in each of the last five years, and which companies provided these services.
	
		
			  £000 
			   2007-08  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 
			 Taylor Bennett 19 0 0 0 0 
			 Odgers, Ray and Berndtson 238 149 36 71 96 
			 Capita Resourcing 12 32 24 0 0 
			 Whitehead Mann Ltd. 0 164 53 0 0

Departmental Redundancy Pay

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of his Department's staff who left under  (a) an involuntary and  (b) a voluntary exit scheme in each year since 2005-06 received a severance package of (i) up to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In the Department for Culture, Media and Sport there have been no  (a) involuntary or  (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in any year since 2005-06.

Gambling Commission: Manpower

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff  (a) the Gambling Commission and  (b) the National Lottery Commission employs; at what cost; and what budget has been set for each for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Gambling Commission have advised that as of 19 November 2008 they employed a total of 230 staff and that the budget for 2008-09 includes provision for a total of 246 staff, at a cost of £9.2 million. The Gambling Commission's staff budget has not yet been set for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	The National Lottery Commission have advised that they will employ 42 staff at a cost of £2.253 million for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Gambling: Regulation

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 11W, on gambling: regulation, how many remote gambling website operators are based in the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Gambling Commission has advised that 164 operators in Great Britain hold remote operating licences permitting them to operate a gambling website.

Gambling: Regulation

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 11W, on gambling: regulation, how many remote gambling operations failed the mystery shopper tests.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Gambling Commission has advised that in just over a third of mystery shopper tests, deficiencies have been identified that could, in some circumstances, allow under 18s to gamble.
	However, the majority of mystery shopper tests conducted showed that policies and procedures to prevent children from gambling on remote gambling sites are effectively in place, and all of the licensed operators identified as having questions over their procedures in a pilot study undertaken in 2007 were found to have effective measures in place in more recent testing.
	Further details of the number of operators with deficiencies will be published in the Gambling Commission's 2008-09 Annual Report.

Gambling: Regulation

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 11W, on gambling: regulations, for what reason the Gambling Commission has not carried out tests of overseas operators since the summer of 2007; and when he expects further tests of overseas operators to be undertaken.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since 1 September 2007 the focus of the Gambling Commission's ongoing compliance programme has been on operators licensed in Great Britain.
	The tests the Gambling Commission currently plans to undertake in respect of overseas operators are mystery shopping visits, as part of their ongoing compliance and enforcement activities. The Gambling Commission has already made plans to undertake mystery shopper visits to gambling websites located in overseas jurisdictions and expects these visits to form part of its ongoing compliance programme in 2009.

Horse Racing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reports he receives on the work of the Horserace Betting Levy Board; how often he receives such reports; and what procedures are in place for making such reports public.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Horserace Betting Levy Board presents an Annual Report to the Secretary of State, to be laid before Parliament. The Annual Report for 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 was laid before Parliament on 15 July 2008. Copies are available in the House Library. The annual report is also available via the board's website:
	http://www.hblb.org.uk/sndFile.php?filelD=30

Hotels: Standards

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to increase the percentage of visitor accommodation which is accredited since identifying a target figure in his Department's report Winning: A Tourism Strategy for 2012 and Beyond.

Barbara Follett: A number of initiatives have been implemented across the country to help us reach our target figure of increasing National Quality Accreditation Schemes (NQAS) participation to 80 per cent. across Britain by 2010 and to 85 per cent. by 2012. Particular focus has been given to London where the take-up rate is lower than the national average. We continue to work with VisitBritain, Visit London, the regional development agencies, the London Development Agency and local authorities to provide incentives for individual businesses and sectors and tailor business support to increase participation in the NQAS. Progress on NQAS is being monitored by the Tourism Ministerial Advisory Group.

Improvement and Development Agency

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support his Department provided for the Local Government Association's Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) in each of the last five years; and how many local authorities used the cultural and leisure service-specific advice supplied by IDeA.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The total funding provided by the Department to the Improvement and Development Agency over the last five years is £85,000. A full breakdown is in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2004-05 Programme not established 
			 2005-06 20,000 
			 2006-07 20,000 
			 2007-08 20,000 
			 2008-09 25,000 
		
	
	IDeA is co-funded to build capacity in the local government sector and as such, has provided a range of support for councils. An indication of support used by the local authorities is a recent communications survey carried out by IDeA: of the 153 councils that responded, 69.3 per cent. said they used at least one of the self-assessment tools.

Improvement and Development Agency

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support his Department plans to provide to the Improvement and Development Agency in each of the next three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department is currently reviewing its work programme and has yet to formally agree the level of funding it will provide to the Improvement and Development Agency in future.

Olympic Games 2012: Football

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1364-65W, on the Olympic Games 2012: football, what progress has been made in the discussions between the relevant parties on the formation of a Great Britain football team to compete at the London 2012 Olympics.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I met with the FIFA General Secretary and Lord Triesman, Chairman of the FA on 11 November to discuss, among other issues, a Great Britain football team at the London 2012 Olympics. Discussions are continuing.

Olympic Games 2012: Transport

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the number of people likely to visit the London 2012 Olympics by caravan.

Barbara Follett: No assessment has currently been made of the number of people likely to visit the London 2012 Olympics by caravan.

Play: Finance

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of progress towards meeting the Government's commitment to provide £200 million for improving children's play opportunities under his Department's review of children's play.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department has not set a target of providing £200 million towards children's play. However, as part of our response to Getting Serious About Play, the review of children's play undertaken by my right hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Frank Dobson) in 2004, my right hon. Friend the right hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Tessa Jowell), stated that she expected £200 million to be provided for children's play through lottery funding by 2012.
	That expectation is being met in England through the Big Lottery Fund £155 million play initiative.

Public Libraries: Derbyshire

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department has allocated to public libraries in Derbyshire in each of the last five years.

Barbara Follett: This information is not held centrally. However, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) publish figures of total revenue expenditure and total revenue income for each library authority in their report Public library statistics. The figures are provided per thousand population. When used with resident population statistics (also provided in the publication), the amount of core funding allocated by Derbyshire county council to its public libraries can be calculated. The House of Commons Library holds copies of the report, including the most recent edition which contains estimated figures for 2007-08 and actual data for 2006-07.

Tourism

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the change in the UK's ranking in the Anholt Nation Brand Index as part of his work to champion UK tourism in the last three years.

Barbara Follett: The latest results from the reformed 2008 Anholt GFK Brand Index Survey (under the new methodology) reveal that the UK has moved up one place, from fourth in 2007 to third in 2008, in terms of 'holistic nation brand', behind Germany and France. This broadly reconfirms that the UK is still one of the leading visitor destinations in the world.

Tourism

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in which region the tourism satellite accounting pilot took place in 2004; what assessment he has made of the results; and if he will place a copy of the results in the Library.

Barbara Follett: The pilot 'UK Tourism Satellite Account (TSA)—First Steps Project (2004)' was produced for the United Kingdom. A similar pilot was undertaken by Ireland alongside this project, and a separate pilot report for the English regions published in 2005.
	Results from the UK pilot are used as the basis for the estimation of tourism's contribution to the economy. The latest figures estimate that tourism contributed 2.7 per cent. to UK Gross Value Added in 2007.

Tourism

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1375W, on tourism, when he expects to publish his Department's report on the elasticities of tourism demand.

Barbara Follett: "The Drivers of Tourism Demand in the UK" report will be placed in the House Library shortly and published on the DCMS website.

Tourism: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Visit Britain's national strategy for coastal and seaside tourism is.

Barbara Follett: Visit Britain has advised that it does not have a national strategy for coastal and seaside tourism. However, the DCMS Tourism Strategy "Winning: A tourism Strategy for 2012 and Beyond", published in partnership with Visit Britain, covers tourism across the country, including coastal and seaside tourism. In addition, this Department has, made available a funding package of £45 million (£15 million pa over the next three years) through the Sea Change Programme, which aims to help catalyse the regeneration of seaside resorts in England through cultural and heritage projects.

UK Film Council: Information Officers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on employing press and communications officers by the UK Film Council in each of the last five years.

Barbara Follett: The information requested has been supplied by the UK Film Council. Inclusive of NIC and pensions, the total spent in each of the last five years is:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2003-04 96,300 
			 2004-05 102,700 
			 2005-06 95,300 
			 2006-07 108,100 
			 2007-08 119,800 
			  Note: For consistency, figures are rounded up to the nearest £100

Video Games

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent  (a) discussions he has had with and  (b) representations he has received from representatives of the computer gaming industry on (i) skills shortages and (ii) levels of taxation in the industry.

Barbara Follett: My predecessor and I have received a number of representations from, and held regular meetings with, representatives of the computer gaming industry about a range of issues, including skills requirements and taxation issues. For example, discussions were held in July and November with the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) and the right hon. Member for Barking (Margaret Hodge) addressed these issues at a Westminster Media Forum event in July.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Census

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost of the 2001 census was; and what estimate he has made of the cost of the forthcoming census.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the cost of the 2001 Census was; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the forthcoming Census. (236309)
	The published figure of £207 million for the 2001 Census covered the base cost. When certain support activities funded by ONS including funding for the disseminations of outputs, initial local authority follow-up studies and the ongoing census support such as customer services are added, the overall cost of the 2001 Census in England and Wales equates to £214 million.
	On the basis of present planning assumptions, the estimates of the cost of the 2011 Census in England and Wales over the period 2005-2016 is £482 million. Provision for the later years from 2012/13 will be subject to future spending reviews and will cover the final stages of data and output processing, dissemination and a number of subsequent output services and releases.
	In order to compare these figures, inflation, population growth and technical innovations must be taken into account. Innovations for the 2011 Census include online completion of questionnaires and the tracking of each questionnaire from printing to processing through a robust form tracking system. We are also carrying out significant address register development and address checking work for the 2011 Census.
	The Censuses in Northern Ireland and Scotland are devolved matters.

Christmas

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agency have spent on Christmas (a) cards, (b) parties and (c) decorations in the last 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him and to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Gillian Merron) on 24 January 2008,  Official Report, column 2176W.

Christmas

Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the proportion of  (a) lamb,  (b) beef,  (c) chicken,  (d) pork,  (e) turkey,  (f) other meats,  (g) vegetables and  (h) fruit to be served by his Department at Christmas functions which will be sourced from British producers.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested is not collected.
	The Government will shortly be publishing a report on the proportion of domestically produced food used by Government Departments and also supplied to hospitals and prisons under contracts negotiated by NHS Supply Chain and National Offender Management Service (previously HM Prison Service) between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008.
	This report will be available on the PSFPI website at
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/awareness.htm.

Death: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many deaths there were  (a) in total and  (b) per 100 of population in (i) each of the principal seaside towns in England and (ii) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 20 November 2008
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths there were (a) in total and (b) per 100 population in (i) each of the principal seaside towns in England and (ii) England in the latest period for which figures are available. (237668)
	The table attached provides (a) the number of deaths and (b) the age-standardised mortality rate per 100,000 population for (i) principal seaside towns in England, and (ii) England. The number of deaths for both principal seaside towns and England are available up to 2007, as are mortality rates for England. However, mortality rates for principal seaside towns are available only for 2006.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths and age-standardised mortality rate( 1) , principal seaside towns and England( 2) ,2006 and 2007( 3,4) 
			  Persons 
			   2006  2007 
			  Area  Number of deaths  Mortality rate  Number of deaths  Mortality rate 
			 Blackpool Urban Area 3,545 700 3,522  
			 Bognor Regis 1,007 592 1,023  
			 Bournemouth Urban Area 4,536 523 4,659  
			 Bridlington 486 634 471  
			 Brighton 1,390 647 1,391  
			 Burnham-on-Sea 196 526 230  
			 Clacton 899 634 851  
			 Deal 348 528 403  
			 Eastbourne 1,521 545 1,498  
			 Exmouth 497 612 460  
			 Falmouth 240 556 264  
			 Folkestone/Hythe 784 644 725  
			 Great Yarmouth Urban Area 853 660 828  
			 Greater Worthing 1,426 597 1,343  
			 Hastings/Bexhill 1,943 650 1,789  
			 Ilfracombe 152 738 149  
			 Isle of Wight Unitary Authority 1,678 536 1,666  
			 Lowestoft 777 557 826  
			 Minehead 191 499 206  
			 Morecambe and Heysham 813 713 845  
			 Newquay 215 529 243  
			 Scarborough 644 638 634  
			 Sidmouth 242 464 202  
			 Skegness 258 748 250  
			 Southend-On-Sea 872 705 747  
			 Southport 1,225 612 1,294  
			 St Ives 139 540 125  
			 Swanage 177 523 166  
			 Thanet 1,649 657 1,575  
			 Torbay 1,431 553 1,536  
			 Weston-Super-Mare Urban Area 1,094 636 1,050  
			 Weymouth Urban Area 679 569 688  
			 Whitley Bay 401 533 418  
			 Whitstable/Herne Bay 901 592 844  
			  
			 England 470,326 592 470,721 579 
			 (1) Age-standardised mortality rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (3) Mortality rates for principal seaside towns are available only for 2006. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Departmental Consultants

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how much  (a) his Department,  (b) its agency and  (c) each of its non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultancy in each year since 1997-98; how much each plans to spend in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much the Prime Minister's Office spent on external consultancy in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The information requested for the Cabinet Office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department has been in the last 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: Special advisers are temporary civil servants. They have no entitlement to an allocated Government car. Special advisers' travel arrangements are made in accordance with the rules and guidance set out in the Civil Service Management Code and departmental staff handbooks.

Departmental NDPBs

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; and what budget each has been set for  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Kevin Brennan: The Cabinet Office currently sponsors eleven non-departmental public bodies: nine advisory and two executive. The details of each body and terms of reference can be found in the Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts 2007-08. Budgetary and other financial information for the Cabinet Office public bodies can also be found in the Reports and Accounts and the Cabinet Office Public Appointments Report 2007. Copies of these documents are available in the Libraries of the House and also from the Cabinet Office website
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
	Further information about the Cabinet Office's Executive public bodies can be found on their respective websites:
	 Capacitybuilders
	www.capacitybuilders.org.uk
	 Commission for the Compact
	www.thecompact.org

Departmental Public Opinion

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how much his Department spent on  (a) focus groups and  (b) opinion polls in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much the Prime Minister's Office has spent on  (a) focus groups and  (b) opinion polls in each year since 1997-98; how much he estimates will be spent on each category in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The information requested for the Cabinet Office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Written Questions

Nick Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Questions for written answer were tabled to his Department in Session  (a) 2002-03,  (b) 2003-04,  (c) 2004-05,  (d) 2005-06,  (e) 2006-07 and  (f) 2007-08 to date; and how many were (i) answered substantively and (ii) not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Kevin Brennan: The number of ordinary written and named day questions received by the Cabinet Office in each session since 2002-3 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Session  Number 
			 2002-3 429 
			 2003-4 496 
			 2004-5 313 
			 2005-6 558 
			 2006-7 689 
			 2007-8 (to end of October) 1,350 
		
	
	Details of how many of these questions were (i) answered substantively and (ii) not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost are not recorded.

Employment

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people were  (a) employed (i) full-time and (ii) part-time and  (b) unemployed in (A) City of York constituency, (B) the City of York local authority area, (C) Yorkshire and the Humber and (D) the UK (1) on the latest date for which figures are available and (2) on the same date in each of the previous 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, November 2008:
	'As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about how many people were  (a) employed (i) full-time (ii) part time and  (b) unemployed in (A) City of York constituency, (B) City of York local authority area, (C) Yorkshire and The Humber and (D) the United Kingdom (1) at the latest date for which figures are available and (2) at the same date in each of the previous 10 years.
	(237046)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of people aged 16 and over who were in full-time and part-time employment, and those people who were unemployed, in the City of York Parliamentary Constituency, York Unitary Authority, Yorkshire and The Humber and the UK. Estimates are provided for the 12 months ending in February from 1998 to 2004 from the annual LFS, and for the 12 months ending in March from 2005 to 2008, from the APS.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: Persons in full-time and part-time employment( 1)  and unemployment( 1)  in City of York parliamentary constituency, York unitary authority, Yorkshire and the Humber and UK 
			  thousand 
			   City of York  York UA 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Unemployment  Full-time  Part-time  Unemployment 
			 February 1998 31 14 4 57 20 4 
			 February 1999 33 15 3 59 24 5 
			 February 2000 34 12 2 61 21 4 
			 February 2001 37 15 3 65 28 4 
			 February 2002 36 15 2 66 26 4 
			 February 2003 37 16 2 65 28 3 
			 February 2004 39 16 3 67 28 4 
			 March 2005 34 11 2 68 29 2 
			 March 2006 36 12 1 71 28 3 
			 March 2007 40 18 5 71 30 6 
			 March 2008(2) ***41 ***16 ****2 **73 ***30 ****4 
		
	
	
		
			   Yorkshire and the Humber  UK 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Unemployment  Full-time  Part-time  Unemployment 
			 February 1998 1,597 577 173 19,827 6,604 1,926 
			 February 1999 1,620 593 165 20,079 6,620 1,744 
			 February 2000 1,626 587 153 20,279 6.734 1.704 
			 February 2001 1,639 620 141 20,440 6,854 1,528 
			 February 2002 1,665 601 122 20,699 6,890 1,466 
			 February 2003 1,677 616 121 20,706 7,056 1,510 
			 February 2004 1,692 644 123 20,793 7,222 1,464 
			 March 2005 1,735 633 108 21,165 7,181 1,412 
			 March 2006 1,746 643 131 21,328 7,237 1,527 
			 March 2007 1,776 636 143 21,548 7,322 1,629 
			 March 2008(2) *1,815 *634 **134 *21.780 *7,407 *1,590 
			 (1) Levels of employment and unemployment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007 (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality as follows:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes Source:  Annual Labour Force Survey/ Annual Population Survey

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many  (a) UK nationals,  (b) UK born people,  (c) foreign nationals,  (d) non-UK EU nationals,  (e) EU A8 nationals and  (f) non-EU nationals of working age were in employment in the UK in (i) July to September 2006 and (ii) July to September 2008; and what the employment rate was in each group.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 20 November 2008
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many (a) UK nationals, (b) UK born people, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals, (e) EU A8 nationals and (f) non-EU nationals of working age were in employment in the UK in (i) July to September 2006 and (ii) July to September 2008; and what the employment rate was in each group. (237717)
	The information requested is shown in the attached table. The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The figures in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, or the migrant worker figures published every quarter, which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Employment levels and rates for working age( 1)  people, by nationality or country of birth( 2) , three months ending September, 2006 and 2008—United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand and percentage 
			   UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK nationals  Non-UK EU nationals( 3)  EU A8 nationals( 4)  Non-EU nationals 
			   Level  Rate (%)  Level  Rate (%)  Level  Rate (%)  Level  Rate (%)  Level  Rate (%)  Level  Rate (%) 
			 2006 26,085 75 24,849 76 1,913 69 753 77 297 82 1,160 65 
			 2008 *25,928 75 *24,580 76 *2,279 69 *1,045 79 **504 84 *1,234 63 
			 (1) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (2) Excluding those whose nationality or country of birth was not known. (3) Non-EU comprises Austria. Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic. Denmark, Estonia, Finland. France. Germany. Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy. Latvia. Lithuania. Luxembourg. Malta, Netherlands. Poland, Portugal, Slovakia. Slovenia. Spain and Sweden. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU on 1 January 2007 and are included in EU for 2008. (4) EU A8 comprises Czech Republic. Estonia, Hungary. Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. (5) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described as follows:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc).  Source:  Labour Force Survey

Employment

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many  (a) men and  (b) women were in work in (i) Hemel Hempstead and (ii) the UK in May of each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question requesting how many (a) men and (b) women were in work in (i) Hemel Hempstead and (ii) the UK in May of each year since 1997. (238186)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. National estimates are compiled from the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of people in employment aged 16 and over by gender, resident in the Hemel Hempstead constituency. As estimates are not available for May of each year for small geographies, estimates are provided for the 12 months ending in February from 1998 to 2004 from the annual LFS, and for the 12 months ending in March from 2005 to 2008, from the APS.
	Table 2, attached, shows the number of people in employment aged 16 and over by gender, resident in the UK. Estimates are provided for the April to June period of each year from the LFS.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of persons in employment( 1)  by gender, resident in Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency 
			  Thousand 
			   Hemel Hempstead 
			  12 months ending:  Male  Female 
			 February 1998 26 22 
			 February 1999 27 24 
			 February 2000 25 23 
			 February 2001 27 23 
			 February 2002 27 24 
			 February 2003 29 26 
			 February 2004 29 27 
			 March 2005 27 26 
			 March 2006 24 22 
			 March 2007 29 20 
			 March 2008(2) ***30 ***26 
			 (1) Levels of employment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of persons in employment( 1)  by gender, resident in UK 
			  Thousand 
			   UK 
			   Male  Female 
			 April to June 1997 14,441 12,073 
			 April to June 1998 14,571 12,145 
			 April to June 1999 14,735 12,362 
			 April to June 2000 14,900 12,568 
			 April to June 2001 15,002 12,704 
			 April to June 2002 15,073 12,838 
			 April to June 2003 15,298 12,893 
			 April to June 2004 15,371 13,057 
			 April to June 2005 15,515 13,218 
			 April to June 2006 15,628 13,371 
			 April to June 2007 15,792 13,367 
			 April to June 2008(2) *15,938 *13,568 
			 (1) Levels of employment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  KEY Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Labour Force Survey

Employment: Yorkshire and the Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many  (a) men and  (b) women were in work in (i) City of York constituency, (ii) the City of York local authority area and (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber in May of each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question requesting how many (a) men and (b) women were in work in (i) the City of York constituency, (ii) the City of York local authority area and (iii) Yorkshire and The Humber in May of each year since 1997. (237047)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of people in employment aged 16 and over by gender, resident in the City of York constituency, the City of York Unitary Authority and Yorkshire and The Humber. Estimates are provided for the 12 months ending in February from 1998 to 2004 from the annual LFS, and for the 12 months ending in March from 2005 to 2008, from the APS.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: Male and female employment( 1)  in the City of York parliamentary constituency, York unitary authority and Yorkshire and the Humber 
			  Thousand 
			   City of York  York UA  Yorkshire and the Humber 
			  12 months ending:  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 February 1998 24 20 43 34 1,181 992 
			 February 1999 28 20 45 38 1,206 1,009 
			 February 2000 25 20 44 39 1,203 1,014 
			 February 2001 27 25 49 44 1,212 1,051 
			 February 2002 28 23 49 43 1,225 1,045 
			 February 2003 28 25 49 44 1,241 1,054 
			 February 2004 29 28 50 45 1,259 1,079 
			 March 2005 25 20 51 46 1,281 1,089 
			 March 2006 25 23 51 48 1,294 1,098 
			 March 2007 29 28 51 50 1,315 1,102 
			 March 2008(2) **32 ***26 **56 ***48 *1,338 *1,118 
			 (1) Levels of employment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey

Futurebuilders England: Catz Club

Nick Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract between Futurebuilders and Catz Club, redacting commercially sensitive information.

Liam Byrne: The Futurebuilders Fund is managed by Futurebuilders England Ltd (FBE) under contract to the Cabinet Office. All Futurebuilders investments are made by FBE; neither ministers nor officials play any part in investment decisions. The Cabinet Office does not hold copies of the contracts between FBE and the Futurebuilders investees.

Futurebuilders England: Grants

Nick Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of a table listing each grant given by Futurebuilders to individual voluntary groups and organisations since its establishment.

Liam Byrne: I have placed in the Library a table listing each grant given by Futurebuilders to individual voluntary groups and organisations.

Hotels

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent on hotel bills by the Prime Minister's Office in 2007-08.

Kevin Brennan: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested for the Cabinet Office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Housing: Owner Occupation

Joan Ryan: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many homeowners there were in Enfield North constituency in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question, asking how many homeowners there were in Enfield North in each year since 1997. (235446)
	The requested information is not available for all years requested. The tables below have been taken from two different sources.
	For 2001, the figures in the table below have been extracted from 2001 Census Key Statistics table KS 18—Tenure.
	
		
			   All households including rented  Households: Owner occupied: Owns outright  Households: Owner occupied: Owns with a mortgage or loan  Owner occupied: Part rent, part mortgage 
			 Enfield North 38,264 10,074 16,271 307 
		
	
	Some figures are also available from the Annual Population Survey but as Parliamentary Constituency is a low level geography, the figures are subject to significant sampling error. Nevertheless the latest figures are:
	
		
			  Enfield North  All Households including rented  Households: Owned outright  Being bought with mortgage or loan  Part rent, part mortgage 
			 2007 44,942 9,594 17,440 (1)— 
			 (1) Figure suppressed to avoid the release of disclosive data 
		
	
	 Note:
	Figures are Crown copyright

Life Expectancy: East Midlands

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the life expectancy is of  (a) men and  (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East; and what it was in (A) 1997 and (B) 2001.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East; and what it was in (A) 1997 and (B) 2001. (238628)
	Life expectancy figures arc calculated as three year rolling averages. The table below provides the period life expectancy at birth for (a) men and (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East government office regions for 1996-98, 2000-02 and 2005-07 (the latest figures available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Period life expectancy at birth( 1) , East Midlands and South East Government office regions( 2) , 1996-98, 2000-02 and 2005-07( 3) 
			  Years of life 
			   1996-98  2000-02  2005-07 
			   Males  Females  Males  Females  Males  Females 
			 East Midlands 75 80 76 81 78 82 
			 South East 76 81 77 82 79 83 
			 (1) Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period, rather than mortality among those born in each area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives. (2) Using Government office region boundaries as of 2006 for all the years shown. (3) Three-year rolling averages, based on deaths registered in each year and mid-year population estimates.

National Economic Council

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many times the National Economic Council has met;
	(2)  which members of the National Economic Council have been absent from each meeting of the Council.

Liam Byrne: On the 3 October 2008, the Prime Minister announced the formation of the National Economic Council, a full Cabinet Committee which would meet regularly to discuss the co-ordination of economic policy across Government.
	Details of the Committee's membership and Terms of Reference can be viewed at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/secretariats/committees/nec.aspx
	and are available in the Library of the House.
	Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including who attends, when and how often and for how long they meet, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Performance Appraisal

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable assessment grade in their annual report in the latest reporting year for which figures are available.

Tom Watson: The Cabinet Office takes staff performance seriously and has tools in place to ensure that staff operate at their full potential.

Political Office: Furniture

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Shipley of 8 October 2008,  Official Report, column 618W, on political office: furniture, whether the  (a) capital and  (b) running costs of the Downing Street Political Office (i) desks, (ii) telephones and (iii) computers are met from the 10 Downing Street budget.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him on 20 November 2008,  Official Report, column 662W, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

Prostate Cancer

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many cases of prostate cancer have been diagnosed in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) primary care trust and  (b) strategic health authority area.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many cases of prostate cancer have been diagnosed in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) primary care trust and (b) strategic health authority area.
	The number of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer for each year from 1997 to 2006 (latest available year), for England by (a) primary care trust and (b) strategic health authority, and for Wales by local health board arc given in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer( 1) , males: England and Wales; England, strategic health authorities( 2) , and primary care organisations grouped within strategic health authorities( 3,4) ; Wales, local health boards( 5) —1997 to 2006 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  England and Wales 21,263 21,751 23,620 25.740 29,047 29,202 29,398 31,643 30,209 31,347 
			 England 19,940 20,428 22,297 24,417 27,724 27,879 28,075 30,320 28,886 30,024 
			 Wales 1,323 1,298 1,570 1,662 1,780 1,818 2,016 2,279 2,250 2,157 
			
			  Strategic Health Authority   
			 North East 894 1,064 1,231 1,248 1,410 1,393 1,488 1,347 1,403 1,352 
			 North West 2,554 2,627 2,843 3,105 3,655 3,533 3.626 4,402 4.293 4,313 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1,859 1,823 1,931 2,380 2,655 2,620 2,669 2,998 2,729 2,912 
			 East Midlands 1,465 1,531 1,749 1,942 2,121 2,144 2,104 2,498 2,619 2,777 
			 West Midlands 2,085 2,247 2,415 2,727 3,083 3,241 3.274 3,502 3,350 3,428 
			 East of England 2,256 2,272 2,627 2,957 3,222 3,304 3,247 3,293 3,453 3,441 
			 London 2,602 2,666 2,753 2,821 3,103 3,147 3,120 3,174 2,875 3,049 
			 South East Coast 2,090 2,001 2,238 2,305 2,472 2,340 2.324 2,439 2,317 2,448 
			 South Central 1,487 1,642 1,826 2,069 2,389 2,390 2,350 2,588 2,169 2,400 
			 South West 2,648 2,555 2,684 2,863 3,614 3,767 3,873 4,079 3,678 3,904 
			
			  Primary care organisation within SHA   
			 North East   
			 County Durham 180 206 174 204 248 233 264 254 247 248 
			 Darlington 47 46 66 47 39 69 58 55 47 61 
			 Gateshead 74 98 114 94 116 126 120 101 148 143 
			 Hartlepool 34 36 43 40 47 45 60 48 36 30 
			 Middlesbrough 77 70 77 71 83 48 96 88 103 82 
			 Newcastle 77 102 116 152 127 182 127 123 91 103 
			 North Tees 42 63 83 82 87 88 76 75 79 70 
			 North Tyneside 72 74 92 126 134 122 142 125 106 109 
			 Northumberland 93 146 157 161 247 198 201 180 229 218 
			 Red car and Cleveland 64 52 93 101 85 83 111 98 97 77 
			 South Tyneside 47 47 57 51 52 73 76 60 64 65 
			 Sunderland Teaching 87 124 159 119 145 126 157 140 156 146 
			
			  North West   
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan 54 72 76 112 138 131 134 192 209 224 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 44 43 62 61 68 57 68 72 59 91 
			 Blackpool 58 70 69 72 84 114 137 118 90 92 
			 Bolton 88 94 84 86 163 116 104 167 142 155 
			 Bury 65 68 IT 68 101 126 100 '125 136 122 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire 128 162 222 256 280 268 281 312 282 259 
			 Central Lancashire 205 193 192 223 252 226 254 321 379 306 
			 Cumbria 204 198 189 235 250 284 227 229 299 304 
			 East Lancashire 164 161 187 232 238 201 226 219 232 236 
			 Halton and St Helens 107 118 123 81 123 130 135 173 143 178 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale 52 81 78 102 116 97 113 119 130 121 
			 Knowsley 46 40 45 57 58 78 68 111 74 81 
			 Liverpool 136 145 168 149 194 185 191 304 221 238 
			 Manchester 139 124 133 132 175 164 154 176 205 214 
			 North Lancashire 170 197 174 155 241 206 244 281 263 246 
			 Oldham 67 84 70 88 107 108 130 182 171 149 
			 Salford 97 77 72 88 69 74 107 120 126 152 
			 Sefton 108 101 128 128 151 159 174 263 228 181 
			 Stockport 141 117 134 155 195 191 176 208 228 213 
			 Tameside and Glossop 93 108 107 114 114 131 125 160 146 144 
			 Trafford 113 112 121 128 130 150 134 176 138 175 
			 Warrington 69 60 48 78 93 71 66 72 61 65 
			 Western Cheshire 87 76 165 175 175 139 152 156 177 187 
			 Wirral 131 140 124 154 151 144 131 157 166 194 
			
			  Yorkshire and the Humber   
			 Barnsley 75 68 69 79 78 111 105 114 120 138 
			 Bradford and Airedale 119 132 152 183 213 211 206 231 212 234 
			 Calderdale 66 76 74 84 102 69 89 114 111 111 
			 Doncaster 105 100 111 121 140 103 127 132 113 153 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 144 147 151 168 183 206 223 243 242 266 
			 Hull 74 102 88 93 112 107 112 148 116 134 
			 Kirklees 167 143 130 145 155 172 180 203 171 201 
			 Leeds 277 271 302 319 391 319 384 430 364 422 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 59 54 62 74 110 119 101 81 89 95 
			 North Lincolnshire 76 61 82 72 69 90 80 84 73 83 
			 North Yorkshire and York 291 359 352 485 534 528 549 632 575 561 
			 Rotherham 66 58 47 84 76 90 62 84 79 64 
			 Sheffield 204 105 182 320 338 289 264 294 277 259 
			 Wakefield District 136 145 129 152 153 206 186 206 186 191 
			
			  East Midlands   
			 Bassetlaw 47 34 35 42 43 53 61 38 60 70 
			 Derby City 62 65 86 107 116 119 124 138 144 155 
			 Derbyshire County 241 260 305 344 381 418 387 426 430 457 
			 Leicester City 65 63 84 103 98 111 89 103 95 132 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland 195 183 260 329 332 295 330 420 442 464 
			 Lincolnshire 283 340 350 359 442 453 512 567 612 612 
			 Northamptonshire 224 273 288 331 386 406 347 365 432 398 
			 Nottingham City 98 87 88 88 75 61 44 112 98 115 
			 Nottinghamshire County 218 214 248 216 238 211 206 320 295 360 
			
			  West Midlands   
			 Birmingham East and North 175 145 169 174 257 277 258 293 233 254 
			 Coventry Teaching 128 135 129 160 172 179 165 194 194 124 
			 Dudley 93 112 128 121 148 155 202 198 187 246 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching 87 102 87 90 113 124 128 149 112 139 
			 Herefordshire 82 72 79 103 119 108 103 124 108 115 
			 North Staffordshire 85 78 79 78 122 87 104 91 104 95 
			 Sandwell 109 116 166 143 151 187 157 131 132 142 
			 Shropshire County 158 166 158 187 207 219 214 208 218 204 
			 Solihull 109 123 119 139 154 181 149 189 155 190 
			 South Birmingham 138 139 '158 167 236 221 222 223 220 206 
			 South Staffordshire 198 206 274 297 297 346 376 438 393 438 
			 Stoke on Trent 80 73 74 94 102 93 117 95 104 112 
			 Telford and Wrekin 54 58 62 57 61 72 81 70 66 86 
			 Walsall Teaching 90 96 97 111 147 174 147 169 193 143 
			 Warwickshire 194 262 265 327 325 333 287 340 308 350 
			 Wolverhampton City 90 109 104 141 143 157 156 138 174 153 
			 Worcestershire 215 255 267 338 329 328 408 452 449 431 
			
			  East of England   
			 Bedfordshire 115 135 150 143 194 185 196 209 183 234 
			 Cambridgeshire 222 183 250 293 330 367 360 374 415 414 
			 East and North Hertfordshire 192 204 241 278 242 219 243 305 361 312 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 89 113 137 127 161 152 155 139 109 159 
			 Luton 45 35 44 56 49 52 47 78 76 81 
			 Mid Essex 124 151 164 151 193 148 198 141 203 214 
			 Norfolk 330 351 396 476 506 661 529 610 531 539 
			 North East Essex 105 120 123 202 222 195 182 172 207 207 
			 Peterborough 46 60 73 81 81 99 79 85 75 81 
			 South East Essex 186 162 162 210 232 203 228 212 177 246 
			 South West Essex 166 135 130 163 205 191 210 171 183 145 
			 Suffolk 320 280 331 329 372 386 450 437 394 419 
			 West Essex 113 155 166 199 222 223 205 206 229 219 
			 West Hertfordshire 203 188 260 249 213 223 165 154 310 171 
			
			  London   
			 Barking and Dagenham 74 75 85 74 79 74 64 73 63 58 
			 Barnet 92 130 150 129 141 153 131 155 134 155 
			 Bexley 103 110 108 100 102 113 94 111 79 132 
			 Brent Teaching 91 112 116 113 116 124 125 133 127 129 
			 Bromley 80 86 106 101 124 149 131 109 87 157 
			 Camden 80 68 71 50 78 98 75 58 83 58 
			 City and Hackney Teaching 82 68 69 69 84 88 83 87 74 100 
			 Croydon 124 105 112 123 151 199 172 182 224 211 
			 Ealing 105 103 114 98' 104 102 134 121 121 . 89 
			 Enfield 102 94 107 112 124 130 126 124 112 145 
			 Greenwich Teaching 82 84 89 108 85 75 77 87 81 81 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 36 41 42 53 70 34 73 63 75 66 
			 Haringey Teaching 74 63 65 51 92 73 80 92 98 79 
			 Harrow 83 79 91 86 80 71 117 98 128 102 
			 Havering 109 112 123 136 155 167 157 190 141 153 
			 Hillingdon 99 118 79 87 80 90 109 131 92 90 
			 Hounslow 54 49 46 64 64 61 70 61 58 83 
			 Islington 79 65 61 65 75 56 55 79 67 60 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 57 59 55 73 68 69 66 75 59 48 
			 Kingston 72 59 73 75 83 86 85 83 68 78 
			 Lambeth 90 81 85 102 108 118 116 108 109 111 
			 Lewisham 91 99 88 121 140 135 93 116 75 97 
			 Newham 79 70 61 73 59 65 73 75 53 84 
			 Redbridge 102 109 113 104 123 91 108 94 83 85 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 71 68 70 64 70 105 78 79 66 94 
			 Southwark 59 63 102 101 95 94 91 88 80 104 
			 Sutton and Merton 140 157 147 189 199 170 182 192 148 127 
			 Tower Hamlets 57 59 65 41 55 58 67 40 41 58 
			 Waltham Forest 68 82 83 54 64 67 83 52 61 58 
			 Wandsworth 106 114 109 110 138 156 125 128 112 98 
			 Westminster 61 84 68 95 97 76 80 90 76 59 
			
			  South East Coast   
			 Brighton and Hove City 127 90 130 143 122 109 100 116 98 126 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald 234 208 249 232 237 226 188 223 216 183 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent 305 310 333 296 353 369 398 415 402 458 
			 Hastings and Rother 93 94 92 95 84 132 113 102 97 109 
			 Medway 99 87 81 82 109 124 104 108 126 112 
			 Surrey 523 487 528 574 579 540 533 523 522 596 
			 West Kent 295 310 305 324 416 347 410 382 361 389 
			 West Sussex 413 412 517 558 569 488 470 563 492 470 
			
			  South Central   
			 Berkshire East 142 148 154 173 234 210 259 275 221 204 
			 Berkshire West 195 220 259 240 216 216 272 294 221 215 
			 Buckinghamshire 211 207 267 287 356 346 325 376 292 367 
			 Hampshire 506 528 574 688 761 852 736 815 733 844 
			 Isle of Wight National Health Service 58 47 71 52 101 92 102 103 104 113 
			 Milton Keynes 62 82 80 98 127 122 109 120 96 111 
			 Oxfordshire 169 237 247 345 357 367 340 391 314 353 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching 46 52 72 71 86 80 87 95   
			 Southampton City 99 123 103 111 153 109 127 125 101 110 
			
			  South  W est   
			 Bath and North East Somerset 93 82 88 98 111 144 130 137 124 105 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 234 217 233 263 280 304 269 311 290 289 
			 Bristol 141 152 164 141 171 211 213 208 179 260 
			 Cornwall and isles of Scilly 27$ 255 314 277 404 383 365 345 356 391 
			 Devon 434 379 372 429 592 593 637 641 519 563 
			 Dorset 338 315 315 406. 464 510 477 529 423 433 
			 Gloucestershire 236 253 284 312 363 305 331 383 372 410 
			 North Somerset 106 113 125 108 141 151 199 182 125 135 
			 Plymouth Teaching 106 115 94 36 147 109 159 192 143 143 
			 Somerset 254 261 239 264 362 369 357 395 415 425 
			 South Gloucestershire 100 84 109 109 109 156 168 145 138 201 
			 Swindon 55 60 61 75 70 102 72 96 109 114 
			 Torbay 81 67 71 85 88 78 106 113 121 117 
			 Wiltshire 194 203 217 265 313 353 391 403 368 321 
			
			  Local Health Boards in Wales   
			 Anglesey 31 36 39 45 46 50 36 54 62 72 
			 Gwynedd 59 60 72 65 81 78 64 100 92 89 
			 Conwy 71 68 124 88 103 101 99 123 96 90 
			 Denbighshire 59 60 72 65 81 78 64 100 92 89 
			 Flintshire 53 45 81 94 126 98 104 88 127 126 
			 Wrexham 55 41 52 96 99 77 76 82 95 64 
			 Powys Teaching 79 74 76 73 95 129 106 99 108 79 
			 Ceredigion 33 41 52 96 99 77 76 82 95 64 
			 Pembrokeshire 75 54 78 74 80 68 101 82 95 64 
			 Carmarthenshire 90 83 98 118 113 109 164 181 127 126 
			 Swansea 132 126 148 147 176 157 152 161 162 183 
			 Neath Port Talbot 58 64 65 79 62 63 77 88 127 126 
			 Bridgend 52 63 69 71 76 95 79 73 83 108 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 46 58 69 71 76 95 79 73 83 108 
			 Cardiff 90 83 98 118 113 109 164 181 127 126 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taff Teaching 91 86 112 97 118 119 160 163 143 138 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 19 20 14 26 26 37 26 31 39 38 
			 Caerphilly Teaching 53 52 73 72 68 61 68 119 133 105 
			 Blaenau Gwent 39 38 28 43 42 40 39 46 35 33 
			 Torfaen 40 31 21 33 35 38 45 90 71 56 
			 Monmouthshire 37 40 44 58 46 50 36 54 62 72 
			 Newport 61 42 49 57 51 49 63 118 116 84 
			 (1) Prostate cancer is coded to C61 In the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (2) Based on NHS boundaries for strategic health areas as of July 2006. (3) Based on NHS boundaries for primary care organisations as of October 2006. (4) Each primary care organisation (PCO) in England is listed under the strategic health authority (SHA) to which it reports. The 152 primary care organisations include 148 primary care trusts (PCTs), and four care organisations (CO's). PCOs are not all coterminous with SHAs— see Annex C footnotes at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/health_areas.asp (5) Figures for the local health boards, which came into force in April 2003, are given for Wales.  Note: The numbers of cases for the strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been grouped together at the top of the table because the total number of cases for each SHA is not always the same as the total number of cases for the primary care organisations (PCOs) reporting to each SHA. This is because PCOs boundaries are not an coterminous with SHAs boundaries as detailed in  Sources: Office for National Statistics and Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit

Public Bodies: Public Relations

Nick Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance has been given by his Department on the use of public affairs agencies by public sector bodies.

Tom Watson: holding answer 24 November 2008
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 949W.

Suicide: Young People

Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people aged 16 years or under committed suicide in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people aged 16 years or under committed suicide in each of the last five years. (239325)
	The table below provides the number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death for people aged 16 years and under, England and Wales, from 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death( 1) , persons aged 16 years and under, England and Wales, 2003 to 2007( 2) 
			  Persons 
			   Number 
			 2003 30 
			 2004 29 
			 2005 32 
			 2006 25 
			 2007 39 
			 (1) For persons aged 10 to 14 years, the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84. For persons aged 15 and 16 years, the definition of suicide also includes deaths caused through undetermined intent, defined using the ICD-10 codes Y10-Y34 excluding Y33.9 (where the coroner's verdict was pending). Verdicts of suicide are not returned for children under the age of 10 years. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Surgery: Death

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Office for National Statistics issues guidance to the Department of Health on the interpretation of the statistical significance of mortality rates for surgical procedures.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking whether the Office for National Statistics issues guidance to the Department of Health on the interpretation of the statistical significance of mortality rates for surgical procedures. (238757)
	The Office for National Statistics has not issued guidance to, nor advised, the Department of Health on the interpretation of the statistical significance of mortality rates following surgical procedures.

Teenage Pregnancy: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what percentage of teenagers became pregnant in each of the  (a) wards and  (b) lower layer super output areas in each of the principal seaside towns for the last year for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many and what percentage of teenagers became pregnant in each of the (a) wards and (b) lower layer super output areas in each of the principal seaside towns for the last year for which figures are available. (238660)
	Figures on teenage conceptions are not routinely published by (a) wards and (b) lower layer super output areas due to concerns in maintaining confidentiality of individuals.
	ONS however routinely publishes teenage conceptions by local authorities in England and Wales and the latest figures for 2006 are provided in the table.
	Available figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or legal termination.
	A copy of the table has been placed in the Library of the House.

Thromboembolism: Death

John Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people died of thromboembolism in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people died of thromboembolism in each of the last five years. (238672)
	The attached table provides the number of deaths for which one or more conditions classified as venous thromboembolic disorders (deep vein thrombosis and /or pulmonary embolism), were mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, in England and Wales, for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths with any mention of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism,( 1)  England and Wales, 2003-07( 2) 
			  Persons 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 13,241 
			 2004 12,387 
			 2005 12,254 
			 2006 12,683 
			 2007 12,347 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes 180.1-180.3,180.9,182.9 (deep vein thrombosis) and 126.0,126.9 (pulmonary embolism) where these codes appeared anywhere on the death certificate. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Unemployment: Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the unemployment rate for  (a) women and  (b) men of working age has been in Leeds West constituency in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question requesting what the unemployment rate for (a) women and (b) men of working age has been in the Leeds West Constituency in each year since 1997. (238776)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the unemployment rate and number of males and females who were of working age resident in the Leeds West Constituency who were unemployed for the 12 months ending in February from 1998 to 2004 from the annual LFS, and for the 12 months ending in March from 2005 to 2008, from the APS.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: Unemployment level( 1) and rate( 2)  for working age persons resident in Leeds West parliamentary constituency 
			   Male  Female 
			   Level (thousand)  Rate (percentage)  Level (thousand)  Rate (percentage) 
			 12 months ending: 
			 February 1998 2 12 1 4 
			 February 1999 1 7 n/a n/a 
			 February 2000 2 8 2 11 
			 February 2001 1 3 n/a n/a 
			 February 2002 1 3 1 6 
			 February 2003 2 7 2 8 
			 February 2004 2 6 1 5 
			 March 2005 1 3 1 6 
			 March 2006 n/a n/a 2 13 
			 March 2007 1 7 1 7 
			 March 2008(3) ****1 5 ****2 9 
			 n/a = Data not available or disclosive (1) Levels of unemployment are provided for persons of working age (Males 16-64, Females 16-59). The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Rates of unemployment are provided for persons of working age (Males 16-64, Females 16-59) as a percentage of economically active. (3) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality as follows.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey

Young People

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many 18-year-olds there were in each year since 2005; and what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the number of 18-year-olds there will be in each year to 2015.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question regarding how many 18-year-olds there were in each year since 2005 and what the Office for National Statistics projects the number of 18-year-olds to be in each year to 2015. (238880)
	The table below shows the United Kingdom population aged 18 for each year from 2005 to 2015. The figures up to and including 2007 are population estimates. The most recent national population projections, based on the population at the middle of 2006, have been used to provide the estimated population aged 18 from 2008 to 2015.
	
		
			  Population aged 18, United Kingdom, 2005 to 2015 
			  Thousand 
			   Population aged 18 
			  Population estimates  
			 2005 789 
			 2006 809 
			 2007 800 
			   
			  Population projections( 1)  
			 2008 809 
			 2009 820 
			 2010 805 
			 2011 780 
			 2012 770 
			 2013 753 
			 2014 749 
			 2015 754 
			 (1) 2006-based national population projections, ONS

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the projected total cost of establishing the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, a crown non departmental public body, was established as a legal entity on 10 June 2008 and took responsibility for CSA functions, staff and estates on 1 November 2008.
	The cost of establishing the Commission is approximately £10 million. This represents the costs for recruitment, launching the Commission, necessary IT changes and staffing costs.

Child Support Agency

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the debt steer policy and guidelines implemented on his behalf by the Child Support Agency.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In response to your recent parliamentary question I undertook to send you under separate cover an overview of the Commission's policy on negotiating the recovery of child maintenance debt.
	I trust the attached overview provides the detail you require.

Child Support Agency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much debt over six years old is owed to the Child Support Agency; whether the collection of such debt may be made through enforcement; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 10 November 2008
	The administration of the child maintenance system is a matter for the Commissioner of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. He will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions regarding the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much debt over six years old is owed to the Child Support Agency; whether the collection of such debt may be made through enforcement; and if he will make a statement.
	It is only possible to analyse the age of debt accrued while a case is on the CS2 computer system. As the CS2 system has only existed since March 2003, no debt is recorded as being over 6 years old.
	The Child Support (Collection and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 were amended in 2006 to remove the six-year limitation period for applying to the court for a liability order in England and Wales. The effect of the amended legislation which came into force on 12 July 2006 is that debts of child support that have accrued since 12 July 2000 can be pursued through the courts.
	Where arrears are outstanding for periods prior to 12 July 2000 the Child Support Agency may instigate debt recovery by alternative measures, which include imposing a Deduction from Earnings Order or employing external debt collection agencies.
	The Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 provides that in future the Commission may issue its own liability orders, without application to the court. These administrative liability orders may be made in respect of arrears that accrued before 12 July 2000 and will enable the Commission to pursue payment through the courts. The 2008 Act also provides powers for the Commission to make orders to deduct money from non-resident parents' bank accounts. Deduction orders will be made without application to the court and there is no time limitation on the arrears to which they may apply.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Complaints

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints were made to the Child Support Agency by its customers in each of the last five years.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints were made to the Child Support Agency by its customers in each of the last five years.
	The information you have requested is set out in the attached table.
	Since April 2006, as a result of the improvements to client service made under the Operational Improvement Plan the number of complaints received has fallen. In addition, the Agency revised and simplified the complaints process from April 2007, removing a tier from the resolution process and introducing specialist case workers responsible for resolving all aspects of our clients' complaints.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Number of complaints received overall agency 
			   Complaints received 
			 2003-04 49,200 
			 2004-05 63,800 
			 2005-06 62,100 
			 2006-07 47,900 
			 2007-08 37,600 
			  Notes: 1. These figures are taken from the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts. 2. From April 2007, the Agency introduced a new complaints resolution process, which among others simplified the process from three stages to two stages. 3. Figures rounded to nearest 100.

Child Support Agency: Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets he has given to the Child Support Agency on providing substantive replies to letters from hon. Members on behalf of constituents; and what percentage of replies have been provided within that target time during  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09 to date.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 17 November 2008
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets he has given to the Child Support Agency on providing substantive replies to letters from hon. Members on behalf of constituents; and what percentage of replies have been provided within that target time during (a) 2006-2007, (b) 2007-2008 and (c) 2008-2009 to date.
	The Secretary of State has not set the Agency any targets relating to the Hon. Members' correspondence. However, current Cabinet Office guidance recommends a substantive reply should be sent to correspondence received by government departments, including from hon. Members, within twenty working days, in ninety per cent of cases.
	The Agency aims to reply to letters and either resolve complaints, or agree next steps, within 15 working days of receiving them. This standard applies to all correspondence received from clients or their representatives including hon. Members, and the latest figures show that we have met this standard in 98% of cases.
	The attached table sets out the performance outcomes specifically for both hon. Members' letters to the Commissioner (Chief Executive) and to Ministers delegated to the Commissioner (Chief Executive) to reply.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  MP letters to the Commissioner (Chief Executive) 
			   Replies issued within 15 working days (percentage) 
			 2006-07 89.6 
			 2007-08 92.4 
			 2008 (April to October) 99.6 
			  Notes: 1. The above is measured over a financial year April to March. 2. Correspondence where an MP writes direct to the Commissioner. 
		
	
	
		
			  MP letters to Ministers—delegated to the Commissioner (Chief Executive) to reply 
			   Replies issued within 20 working days (percentage) 
			 2006 87 
			 2007 81 
			 2008 (January to October) 98.9 
			  Notes: 1. The above is measured from January to December. 2. Correspondence where the MP writes to the Minister concerning operational issues and it is delegated to the Commissioner to reply.

Child Support Agency: Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency plans to reply to the letter of 11 April 2008 from the hon. Member for Aylesbury on the case of Mr. W.W. of Aylesbury (reference 0019126759 and 9924517330); and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 17 November 2008
	 The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when I would reply to your letter of 11th April 2008 about the case of Mr W. W. of Aylesbury (reference 0019126759 and 9924517330); and what the reasons were for the time taken to reply.
	As details about individual cases are confidential, I have written to you separately about this case.

Child Support Agency: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when a definitive reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Walsall North in relation to his correspondence with the Child Support Agency on a constituent, ref: PCU 175131, RFA: 1042663122.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 17 November 2008
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when you will receive a definitive reply in relation to your correspondence with the Child Support Agency about your constituent, Ref: PCU 175131, RFA: 1042663122.
	As details about individual cases are confidential, I have written to you separately about this case.

Child Support Agency: Standards

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what proportion of cases calculated by the Child Support Agency the level of maintenance payments was initially calculated incorrectly in the latest period for which information is available.

Kitty Ussher: The administration of the child maintenance system is a matter for the Commissioner of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. He will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions regarding the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what proportion of cases calculated by the Child Support Agency the maintenance payments was initially calculated incorrectly in the latest period for which information is available.
	The Agency does not collate information on the number of cases where maintenance payments were initially calculated incorrectly. However, the Agency does check a sample of around 6,000 cases each year to assess the accuracy of the maintenance calculations assessment to the nearest penny. This information is routinely published in Table 17 of the Child Support Agency's Quarterly Summary of Statistics. The latest version is available in the House of Commons library or online at the following link:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/csa.asp
	In the 12 months to the end of September 2008 the Agency estimates that 85% of current scheme maintenance assessments and 94% of old scheme maintenance calculations were accurate to the nearest penny.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Standards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what national targets have been set for the Child Support Agency; and what the performance of offices in the southwest region was against those targets in 2007-08.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what national targets have been set for the Child Support Agency; and what the performance of offices in the southwest region was against those targets in 2007-08.
	The Secretary of State set four targets for the Agency for the operational year 2007/08. The Agency manages performance across all its lines of business at a national level and does not apportion responsibility for contributing to targets down to regional level.
	The national targets for 2007/08 were:
	By 31st March 2008, maintenance will be collected or arranged by the Agency on behalf of 720,000 children.
	By 31st March 2008, in 66 per cent of cases in which a liability to pay maintenance exists, the non-resident parent has either made a payment via the collection service or a Maintenance Direct arrangement is in place.
	By 31st March 2008, the volume of uncleared new scheme applications will be no more than 140,000.
	Collect or arrange £970 million in child maintenance (including both regular and arrears) between 1st April 2007 and 31st March 2008; of which at least £120 million maintenance will be arrears.
	The Agency exceeded all of these Secretary of State targets, collecting or arranging over £1 billion in maintenance on behalf of 749,000 children. The contribution that the South West business area made to the achievement of these targets is provided in the attached table.
	1 hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Child Support Agency Secretary of State Targets: 2007/08. 
			  Target  Agency Achievement  March 2008  South West Business Area Contribution March 2008' 
			 By 31st March 2008, maintenance will be collected or arranged by the Agency on behalf of 720,000 children 749,300 138,200 
			 By 31st March 2008, in 66 per cent of cases in which a liability to pay maintenance exists, the non-resident parent has either made a payment via the collection service or a Maintenance Direct arrangement is in place 67% 69% 
			 By 31st March 2008, the volume of uncleared new scheme applications will be no more than 140,000 106,100 15,600 
			 Collect or arrange £970 million in child maintenance (including both regular and arrears) between 1st April 2007 and 31st March 2008 £1,010m £202.3m 
			 of which at least £120 million maintenance will be arrears £126 £24.5m 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for the South West exclude performance of cases processed clerically. 2. Targets are set at a national level and are not apportioned regionally.

Children: Maintenance

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new scheme Child Support Agency cases were unresolved within six months in (a) North West Cambridgeshire constituency and (b) the Eastern Region in each of the last five years.

Kitty Ussher: The administration of the child maintenance system is a matter for the Commissioner of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new scheme Child
	Support Agency cases were unresolved within six months in  (a) North West Cambridgeshire constituency and  (b) the Eastern Region in each of the last five years.
	The Child Support Agency is now in the final year of its three year operational improvement plan which has significantly improvement client service across the Agency. The Agency committed to reducing the number of current scheme (previously referred to as new scheme) uncleared applications from the 225,300 applications outstanding in March 2005 to 90,000 by March 2009. At the end of September 2008 the Agency had already met this commitment with just 75,700 uncleared current scheme applications. In addition the Agency has improved the time taken to clear applications from just 30% in 12 weeks in March 2005 to 85 per cent. of applications received in June 2008 cleared in 12 weeks.
	The numbers of current scheme applications that remain uncleared and are over six months old, in the Eastern Region and in North West Cambridgeshire constituency are provided in the attached table which highlights the year on year reduction in the number of outstanding cases.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Uncleared current (new) scheme applications in the North West Cambridgeshire and Eastern Region constituencies 
			   North West Cambridgeshire Number over six months old( 1)  Eastern Region Number over six months old  Eastern Region (percentage) cleared in 12 weeks( 2) 
			 September 2004 120 6,300 25 
			 September 2005 190 10,600 42 
			 September 2006 170 9,100 38 
			 September 2007 110 6,000 71 
			 September 2008 70 3,500 — 
			 (1) Information not available on the time taken to clear cases in North West Cambridgeshire. (2) Percentage of cases received in that month which were cleared within 12 weeks. Information not yet available for cases received in September 2008.  Notes: 1. Uncleared applications have been defined as those applications that have not yet reached a clearance point. A current scheme clearance is defined as: a maintenance calculation has been carried out and a payment arrangement between the parent with care and the non-resident parent is in place; a parent with care has been identified as claiming Good Cause or is subject to a Reduced Benefit Decision; the application is identified as being a change of circumstances on an existing case; or the application has been closed. 2. Age of uncleared applications is calculated as the time from first contact with non-resident parent or parent with care until the last day of the month shown. 3. Cases have been allocated to parliamentary constituency or region through matching the postcode for a residential address for the parent with care against the Office for National Statistics postcode directory. 4. A proportion of applications can not be allocated to a parliamentary constituency or region. Such examples are where the parent with care's residential postcode is not recorded. In some of these cases, the Agency holds a residential address without a postcode; a "contact" address; or a business address. Many applications have not yet reached the stage in the process where the postcode information has been confirmed. Therefore it is not possible to associate them to a parliamentary constituency or region. Around 12 per cent. of applications can not be allocated to a region or parliamentary constituency as at June 2008. 5. Figures for Eastern region have been rounded to the nearest 100 and those for North West Cambridgeshire to the nearest 10.

Children: Maintenance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what percentage of Child Support Agency cases with a current liability received 100 per cent. of the child maintenance owed in the 12 months to June 2008;
	(2)  what percentage of the child maintenance liable for the year to June 2008 the £1,010 million maintenance collected represents.

Kitty Ussher: holding answers 27 October 2008
	 The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	, and
	.
	Since you tabled your questions the latest Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics has been published and these latest figures show that in the 12 months to September 2008, the Child Support Agency collected or arranged £1,088 million child maintenance.
	The estimated total regular child maintenance liability for the period was £1,350 million. Therefore the £1,088 million the Agency collected or arranged represents 81% of the estimated total maintenance liability.
	Of the 756,200 cases with an ongoing current liability as at September 2008 not including arrears cases, 74% of cases have received maintenance with 39% of cases receiving all of the regular maintenance requested over the last 12 months.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of annual funding for the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and the Child Support Agency required in each year until 2014 to implement the child maintenance reforms of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's most recent annual funding estimates, which will include the one-off costs of implementing the child maintenance reforms, are found in the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission Business Plan 2008-09. This is available at the following email address:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/pdf/CMEC_BP_web_.pdf
	It should be noted that the future costs of the implementing the child maintenance reforms will be driven by the actual choices parents make and their relative use of the different services provided by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. The funding estimates were therefore based on the best estimates, trends and evidence available at the time.
	Following the full implementation of the reforms we estimate an additional 430,000 children will benefit from an extra £500 million each year in addition to administrative savings of around £200 million each year.

Children: Maintenance

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency will ensure that the hon. Member for Hyndburn's constituent, Mrs Joan Knott, receives the child maintenance which she has been assured she will receive.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to the Hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency will ensure that the Hon. Member for Hyndburn's constituent Mrs Joan Knott receives the child maintenance which she has been assured she will receive.
	As details about individual cases are confidential, I have written to you separately about this case.

Children: Maintenance

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many liability orders have been re-issued incorrectly by the Child Support Agency in Birkenhead in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what processes are in place at the Child Support Agency in Birkenhead to prevent the incorrect issuing of liability orders.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 10 November 2008
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	; and
	What processes are in place at the Child Support Agency in Birkenhead to prevent the incorrect issuing of liability orders.
	The information you requested on the number of Liability Orders that have been re-issued incorrectly is not available as this information is not routinely recorded.
	The Child Support Agency has processes in place to ensure Liability Orders are administered correctly and consistently in all of its offices including the Birkenhead site. Experienced senior case officers are responsible for preparing all applications to the courts for liability orders in respect of the non-resident parent's child maintenance arrears. The case officer will check the details on the case are correct; checking contact details, maintenance payments paid, preparing a full accounts breakdown to ensure the arrears are correct and ensuring an arrears warning letter has been sent to the non-resident parent.
	If the non-resident parent has in the past considered that the maintenance calculation itself is incorrect, they will have had an opportunity to appeal the assessment through the independent Tribunals Service. Once a liability order is being actively considered by the Court, the non-resident parent can make representations for the Court to dismiss the liability order. The Courts currently dismiss less than one per cent of applications. The Agency believes that this is a good indication of the robustness of the checking regime currently in place. Finally, once a liability order has been awarded, the non-resident parent can again bring forward additional information, or indeed settle their arrears and the Agency may again consider whether it is appropriate to proceed with the application.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases being handled by the Child Support Agency are logged under the  (a) CSCS and  (b) CS2 computer systems.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 10 November 2008
	The administration of the child maintenance system is a matter for the Commissioner of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. He will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases being handled by the Child Support Agency are logged under the (a) CSCS and (b) CS2 computer systems.
	At the end of September 2008, the Agency had a total of 1,339,600 cases registered as live across the CSCS and CS2 computer systems. Of these around 939,100 cases were registered on the CS2 computer system. This includes around 242,900 old child maintenance scheme cases which were maintained on the CS2 computer system. The remaining 400,400 live old scheme cases were registered on the CSCS computer system.
	The Agency also had a total of 44,000 live clerical cases of which a significant number will be included in the cases shown as registered on the computer systems. These are cases which are being progressed clerically but remain registered on the computer systems.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Council Tax Benefits

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) individuals and  (b) pensioners are eligible for but do not claim council tax benefit.

Kitty Ussher: Latest estimates of the numbers entitled to but not receiving income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (Income-based) in Great Britain were published in the "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2006-07" report. A copy of this and past reports are available in the Library.

Departmental Consultants

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many external consultants work for his Department.

Jonathan R Shaw: The following table provides a list of the external consultancy organisations currently working for the Department. Details of the number of all external consultants currently working for the Department could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	A Robinson Associates
	Accenture
	AT Kearney
	Atos Origin
	Bill Freeman
	Booz Allen Hamilton
	Capgemini
	Deloitte & Touche
	Deloitte MCS Ltd
	Dr Richard Light
	Ernst & Young
	Fujitsu
	Gartner
	Hays IT
	IBM UK Ltd
	Lakestyle Ltd
	Mill Rose Associates
	PA Consulting
	Phun Cube
	Pricewaterhouse Coopers
	Qinetiq Ltd
	Thryve Ltd
	Vega Group

Departmental Information Officers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many press and communications officers are employed by  (a) his Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and  (c) its agencies.

Jonathan R Shaw: DWP communications and press officers are accredited by the Government Communications Network (GCN). The communications activity carried out by these staff includes press, PR, internal communications, new media and marketing.
	(a) DWP employs 285 permanent GCN accredited staff;
	(b) Jobcentre Plus and the Pension, Disability and Carers Service employ 72 GCN accredited staff; and
	(c) The total number of GCN accredited staff in DWP's NDPBs is not provided as this information is not held centrally and the cost of collating it would incur a disproportionate cost.
	These figures were correct as at 20 November 2008.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisors

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of provision of Government cars to special advisers in his Department has been in the last 12 months.

Jonathan R Shaw: Special advisers are not entitled to an allocated Government car. Special advisers are temporary civil servants, and therefore travel arrangements are made in accordance with the rules and guidance set out in the Civil Service Management Code, and departmental staff handbooks.

Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department uses the Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages.

Jonathan R Shaw: Royal Mail continues to be the primary company for DWP postal services for despatch of its post, parcels and packages. Royal Mail delivers in excess of 100 million items a year to our customers, at an approximate cost of £40 million per annum. DWP remains committed to maintaining and developing our relationship with Royal Mail Group.

Disability Living Allowance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disability living allowance awards  (a) were subject to review,  (b) had the mobility component reduced on review,  (c) had the care component reduced on review,  (d) had entitlement cancelled on review, (e) had a revision decision appealed against and upheld and  (f) had a review decision appealed against and overturned in each year since 1997, broken down by age of claimant.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information is not available.

Disability Living Allowance: Autism

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance is given to staff administering disability living allowance on using the supplementary application form for people with autism.

Jonathan R Shaw: There is no supplementary application form for people with autism who wish to claim disability living allowance (DLA).
	The current DLA adult claim form has been developed as a generic 'structured' claim form and is designed to accommodate the care and mobility needs of all customers. While developing the claim form the Pension, Disability and Carers Service carried out extensive consultation with national voluntary and community organisations representing customers with a broad range of disabilities and their carers.
	The 'structured' DLA adult claim form has been in use nationally since April 2007. From October 2008, a further version is available for use which has been revised to allow customers with learning difficulties, autism, other developmental disorders and mental health impairments to better explain their care and mobility needs.

Disability Living Allowance: East Midlands

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) men and  (b) women in each constituency in the East Midlands receive the care component of disability living allowance at the higher rate.

Jonathan R Shaw: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Disability living allowance claimants in the midlands parliamentary constituencies receiving the care component at the highest rate —May 2008 
			   Female  Male 
			 Amber Valley 610 580 
			 Ashfield 700 710 
			 Bassetlaw 660 620 
			 Blaby 390 390 
			 Bolsover 750 740 
			 Boston and Skegness 650 610 
			 Bosworth 420 400 
			 Broxtowe 500 400 
			 Charnwood 380 330 
			 Chesterfield 720 730 
			 Corby 510 530 
			 Daventry 390 390 
			 Derby North 530 540 
			 Derby South 740 690 
			 Erewash 550 530 
			 Gainsborough 480 470 
			 Gedling 440 510 
			 Grantham and Stamford 450 450 
			 Harborough 420 350 
			 High Peak 500 440 
			 Kettering 440 450 
			 Leicester East 650 580 
			 Leicester South 630 620 
			 Leicester West 600 620 
			 Lincoln 510 570 
			 Loughborough 360 370 
			 Louth and Horncastle 820 810 
			 Mansfield 720 720 
			 Newark 460 480 
			 North East Derbyshire 580 540 
			 North West Leicestershire 480 440 
			 Northampton North 470 480 
			 Northampton South 480 490 
			 Nottingham East 590 630 
			 Nottingham North 840 830 
			 Nottingham South 560 540 
			 Rushcliffe 400 380 
			 Rutland and Melton 270 330 
			 Sherwood 630 670 
			 Sleaford and North Hykeham 560 520 
			 South Derbyshire 600 670 
			 South Holland and The Deepings 510 450 
			 Wellingborough 460 490 
			 West Derbyshire 410 380 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data

Disadvantaged: Clwyd

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent steps he has taken to assist vulnerable people in the Vale of Clwyd constituency; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of those measures.

Tony McNulty: Following the modernisation of Jobcentre Plus services, greater emphasis has been placed on using technology to enable customers to access the services they require. However, it was recognised that some of the more vulnerable customers may need additional help and support.
	With this in mind, Accessing Jobcentre Services (AJCS) rolled out in the North and Mid Wales District from 30 June 2008, and aims to provide help to those customers who need additional face-to-face support.
	The Wrexham Benefit Delivery Centre gives priority support to vulnerable customers and, with more customers using the internet and telephone to access information, Jobcentre staff are able to focus on helping more customers into work whilst offering a bespoke service for more vulnerable customers.
	Within the Vale of Clwyd, Rhyl Jobcentre Plus operates an electronic diary which is available for three hours daily for the Jobcentre, Benefit Delivery Centre or Social Fund to access and book appointments for vulnerable customers. The diary is monitored constantly and if it is identified that more appointment times are needed further spaces for that same day are made available. No vulnerable customer is told to come back the next day.
	Identification of vulnerable customers is a decision made by local staff.
	The Welsh Assembly is keen to undertake joint marketing campaigns with the local pension, disability and carers service—on top of the current Wales-wide "Keep well this winter" campaign which is already underway, including the hon. Member's constituency.
	Pension, Disability and Carers Service are also planning a joint venture with the Commissioner for Older People for Wales to increase pensioner benefit take-up.

Employers' Liability: East Midlands

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of companies in the East Midlands with invalid or insufficient liability insurance.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member's question of 29October 2007,  Official Report, column 753W.
	HSE remains unaware of any complaints in the east midlands concerned with deficiencies in ELCI policies. No successful prosecutions have been brought by HSE in the east midlands under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 since the previous answer.

Employment and Support Allowance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for employment and support allowance have been made since its inception, broken down by age group.

Jonathan R Shaw: DWP will be publishing National Statistics on Employment and Support Allowance in the coming months.

Employment Schemes

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received from local partnerships on collection of data for on and off flows of individuals in receipt of benefits and the targeting of partnership employment and skills programmes.

Tony McNulty: The Department has received a number of representations from local partnerships to access more benefit data to help target employment and skills programmes more effectively. It is currently setting up a project steering group to agree the principles and, critically, security arrangements for data sharing; pilot areas where more data sharing can be tested; the methodology and timescale for sharing data to the pilot areas; and the evaluation criteria. The project outcomes will seek to inform the basis for the future sharing of data with local government and its partners to help more people into work.

Home Responsibilities Protection

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of potential eligibility for Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) he has so far identified in his scan of the National Insurance Recording System; how many of those have resulted in the successful award of HRP; what the value has been to date of such awards; when he expects to complete this project; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 27 October 2008
	Our preliminary analysis suggests that somewhere in the region of 100,000 to 150,000 women may not be receiving their full entitlement to state pension because HRP has not been applied in the calculation of their state pension.
	The Department and HM Revenue and Customs have undertaken a scan of NIRS to identify the potentially affected cases. Work on the exercise to correct affected cases is currently at the detailed planning stage. The Department aims to start the exercise early in 2009.

Housing Benefit

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 18 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 17-18WS, on the Rent Officers Order, whether Cambridge is considered to be one of the localities where local consensus was not achieved with the consequence that its boundaries will now be reviewed.

Kitty Ussher: The Rent Service carried out routine reviews in 2006-07 that have resulted in fewer localities across the country as a whole. The vast majority of new boundaries were agreed by local authorities and our proposed amendments to the Rent Officers Order will enable the Rent Service to review the boundaries in those localities where consensus was not achieved. The Rent Service is committed to review 25 per cent. of all locality boundaries over a 12-month period. Cambridge will be one of the local authorities that will be reviewed following the amendments to the Rent Service Order.

Housing Benefit: Pay Methods

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the effects of paying housing benefit direct to tenants, with particular reference to the effects on the number of tenants defaulting on rental payments to their landlords.

Kitty Ussher: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 4 November 2008,  Official Report, column 260W.

Incapacity Benefit

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) jobseeker's allowance have cited drug abuse as the primary reason for being unable to work in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 10 November 2008
	 Recipients of jobseeker's allowance are available for and actively seeking employment.
	Drug dependency does not of itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits. The medical assessment of incapacity for work is the personal capability assessment. This assesses the effects of a person's condition on their ability to carry out a number of everyday activities relevant to work. A majority of people with a recorded diagnosis of drug dependency also have other diagnoses, for example mental illness, which results in their incapacity for work.
	We do record the diagnosis of incapacity that is written on a claimant's medical certificate.
	The following table shows the number of people receiving incapacity benefits whose recorded diagnosis includes drug dependency in each of the last five years.
	
		
			   All  Incapacity benefit (shor t-term  lower rate)  Incapacity benefit (short-term  higher rate)  Incapacity benefit (long-term)  Incapacity benefit — credits  Severe disablement allowance 
			 February 2004 45,510 1,290 1,030 7,110 35,660 420 
			 February 2005 47,660 1,170 900 7,560 37,640 390 
			 February 2006 48,530 1,100 820 7,800 38,440 380 
			 February 2007 49,430 1,120 740 7,880 39,330 360 
			 February 2008 51,300 1,150 870 7,990 40,940 340 
			  Note: Case load figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Jobcentres

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobcentres he has visited in his official capacity since his appointment.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Secretary of State has visited six jobcentres since his appointment.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Mentally Ill

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance who have a mental health condition.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 18 November 2008
	 The information requested is not available.

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh West's correspondence of 1 April and subsequent letters of 23 May and 11 September on non-EU nationals attending sports events in the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	This correspondence has been replied to.

National Insurance Contributions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of extending eligibility to buy back six additional years of national insurance contributions to those with  (a) 20,  (b) 15,  (c) 10 and  (d) five or more qualifying years; and if he will estimate the cost of such extension to all those born within the relevant time period, regardless of qualifying years.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 4 November 2008
	 The information available is presented in the following table:
	
		
			  Estimated cost of allowing people reaching state pension age between April 2008 and April 2015 to pay class 3 contributions for an additional six years 
			   Net costs less revenue (£ million, 2008-09 price terms)  
			  Qualifying years required  2010- 11  2020- 21  2030- 31  2040- 41  2050- 51  Net present value to 2050 
			 0 years 25 225 185 105 25 3,055 
			 10 years 30 90 75 40 10 1,180 
			 15 years 30 65 50 25 5 820 
			 20 years 30 45 35 20 5 585 
			  Notes: 1. Estimates for net costs have been rounded to the nearest £5 million. Estimates for potential gainers have been rounded to the nearest thousand. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Estimates are based on a sample of national insurance records as at the end of the financial year 2003-04. 3. Estimates assume basic state pension is uprated in line with earnings from April 2012.  4. People who fail the "25 per cent. rule" both before and after they have purchased six extra years are assumed not to purchase extra years. 5. Estimates assume that people buy additional class 3 national insurance contributions in whole years, even if less than 52 weeks of additional contributions are required to achieve a qualifying year. It is assumed that people buy these extra years when they reach state pension age. 6. Estimates assume that the option to buy extra years is available to everybody with a national insurance record and can be used to fill any deficient year between 1975 and state pension age as long as there is not a valid married women's reduced rate election in place. 7. Net present value calculated in line with the Green Book takes into account costs occurring before 2050, there may be small ongoing costs after this time.  8. Net costs are gross costs of higher basic state pension, less additional national insurance revenue raised, less income related benefit savings. 9. Estimates assume 20 per cent. take up the option. 10. Estimates take into account existing legislation only and do not take into account proposed measures in the current Pensions Bill. 11. Qualifying years include full years of home responsibilities protection.

National Insurance Contributions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to extend eligibility to buy back six additional years of national insurance contributions to those with less than 20 qualifying years; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 4 November 2008
	 We have no plans to extend the proposal to allow eligible individuals to buy six additional years of voluntary class 3 national insurance contributions to those with fewer than 20 qualifying years (taking into account home responsibilities protection). This measure will help people, particularly women and carers, who are approaching state pension age but have earlier gaps in their national insurance records to improve their basic state pension.

New Deal for Disabled People: Sight Impaired

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what specialist equipment is provided by Jobcentre Plus to make work placements arranged as part of the New Deal for Disabled People available to jobseeker's allowance claimants with visual impairment.

Jonathan R Shaw: Jobseeker's allowance claimants do not have access to new deal for disabled people.

New Deal Schemes: Complaints

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department and its agencies have received in respect of  (a) all New Deal providers and  (b) the Shaw Trust in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is not available.

Paul Barlow

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps are being taken by the Child Support Agency to resolve the case of Mr. Paul Barlow; and what steps the Agency plans to take to resolve the difficulties caused by the incorrect issue of a second liability order.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 10 November 2008
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken by the Child Support Agency to resolve the case of Mr Paul Barlow; and what steps the Agency plans to take to resolve the difficulties caused by incorrect issuing of a second liability order.
	As details about individual cases are confidential, I have written to you separately about this case.

Pension Credit Public Expenditure

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the distribution by household income  (a) quintile and  (b) decile of his Department's expenditure arising from pension credit in each year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Pension credit helps millions of older people. It ensures no pensioner aged 60 or over should have to live on less than £124.05 per week for a single person and £189.35 for a couple in 2008-09. Pension credit also rewards those aged 65 or over who have made modest provision for their retirement, up to £19.71 for a single person and £26.13 for a couple. Since pension credit was introduced in 2003 the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by around 500,000 (after housing costs).
	Pension credit expenditure was £5,971 m in 2004-05, £6,426 million in 2005-06 and £6,689 million in 2006-07. Information on the expenditure on pension credit by equivalised household income quintiles and deciles on an after housing cost basis is set out in the following table for available years. Estimates of pension credit expenditure by equivalised income quintile and deciles below are based on a three year average to help take account of small sample sizes in certain quintiles and deciles and statistical variation in expenditure by quintile across the years.
	These figures are rounded to the nearest £50 million:
	
		
			  Table 1: Expenditure on pension credit by equivalised income quintile based on pensioners only, Great Britain, 2004-05 to 2006-07 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07  £ million, after housing costs 
			 Bottom quintile 1,800 
			 Second quintile 1,500 
			 Third quintile 1,150 
			 Fourth quintile 1,500 
			 Top quintile 450 
			 Total 6,422 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Expenditure on pension credit by equivalised income decile based on pensioners only, Great Britain, 2004-05 to 2006-07 
			  2004-05 to 2006-07  £ million, after housing costs 
			 Bottom decile 600 
			 Second decile 1,200 
			 Third decile 900 
			 Fourth decile 600 
			 Fifth decile 600 
			 Sixth decile 550 
			 Seventh decile 800 
			 Eighth decile 700 
			 Ninth decile 350 
			 Top decile 100 
			 Total 6,422 
		
	
	Pension credit recipients within the top two quintiles would generally be expected to either have severe disabilities or be living within a wider household, such as that of a family member, in these circumstances the pensioner's income is assessed independently of the household to establish entitlement to pension credit.
	The relatively low level of expenditure in the bottom decile is partly explained by pensioners in these deciles not taking up their benefit entitlement. We continue to strive to ensure people are aware of and claim their entitlement. The Pensions Disability and Carers Service use data matching to identify those likely to be entitled to pension credit and encourage them to make a claim.
	The claim process is being made much simpler and more automatic and from October 2008 we are proposing to introduce a measure which will enable pensioners to claim housing benefit and council tax benefit with pension credit entirely over the phone without having to fill in and sign a claim form.
	Each week the Pensions Disability and Carers Service is carrying out around 13,000 visits to help the more vulnerable pensioners with benefits. Since the introduction of pension credit the number of pensioners in relative poverty (measured by 60 per cent. of contemporary median income after housing costs) has fallen by around 500,000.
	 Notes:
	1. Pension credit was introduced in October 2003. This means data are only available for 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.
	2. All figures are shown in nominal terms (ie not adjusted for inflation). Family Resources Survey (FRS) data have been applied to administrative data to derive a split by decile/quintile. Estimates of Pension Credit expenditure by equivalised income decile are based on a three year average to help take account of small sample sizes in certain deciles/quintiles and statistical variation in expenditure by decile/quintile across the years.
	3. Administrative data totals are available to the nearest £ million, while information based on survey data is presented rounded to the nearest £50 million.
	4. FRS data are based on private households only, while the pension credit expenditure data cover all recipients.
	5. Decile amounts may not sum to quintile amounts, because of rounding.
	6. The Family Resources Survey is known to undercount receipt of certain benefits. This methodology assumes that this undercount is spread proportionally across deciles.
	7. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' series.
	8. The quintiles and deciles are derived using OECD equivalisation factors.

Pension Credit: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Hemel Hempstead residents have applied for pension credits since the scheme's inception.

Rosie Winterton: There have been 4,980 successful claims for Pension Credit in Hemel Hempstead parliamentary constituency, from its introduction to May 2008.
	 Notes
	1. Number of successful claims are rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. On flows count the number of spells on this benefit that commenced within each quarter. It does not include flows where people have moved out of one area and into another while remaining on the benefit.
	3. Pension credit was introduced on 6 October 2003.
	 Source
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. Please note these statistics are experimental, still in development and should be treated with caution.

Pension Disability and Carers Service: Occupational Pensions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent in making contributions to final salary pensions schemes in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: Information was requested for the last 10 years, but data are only available from 2002-03, the year that The Pension Service was formed.
	The Information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Employer contribution for pension costs 
			  £ million 
			 2002-03 25.343 
			 2003-04 37.367 
			 2004-05 36.331 
			 2005-06 46.135 
			 2006-07 46.519 
			 2007-08 42.195 
			  Notes: 1. The percentage to be applied to pensionable pay varies depending on the salary bands within The Pension Service. The salary bands were revised in 2007-08. 2. The above employer contributions exclude the pension costs arising from the termination of staff contracts associated with reductions in staffing levels and increases in operational efficiency. These costs were £12.459 million (2005-06), £2.984million (2006-07) and £36.121 million (2007-08). 3. Since 30 July 2007 new entrants have been joining the nuvos section of the PCSPS. This is not a final salary scheme. In pensions terminology this would normally be referred to as a Career Average or CARE scheme. Benefits are linked to salary throughout someone's career rather than their final earnings. 4. The increase in employer contributions between 2002-03 and 2003-04 reflects the increase in staffing needed to handle pension credit take-up.

Pension, Disability and Carers Service: Standards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what national targets have been set for the Pension Service; and what the performance of offices in Devon was in relation to those targets in 2007-08.

Rosie Winterton: From 1 April 2008 the Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service merged to become a single agency, the Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS).
	The information available is listed as follows:
	 PDCS Performance Standards 2008 - 09
	Achieve an accuracy rate of 94 per cent. on decisions on claims for DLA
	Achieve an accuracy rate of 94 per cent. on decisions on claims for AA
	Achieve a financial accuracy rate of 98 per cent. on CA
	Achieve an accuracy rate of 92 per cent. on Pension Credit new claims and changes of circumstances
	Achieve an accuracy rate of 98 per cent. on State Pension new claims and change of circumstances
	Clear new claims for DLA within an average of 38 days or less
	Clear new claims for AA within an average of 16 days or less
	Clear new claims for CA within an average of 13.5 days or less
	Clear new claims for Pension Credit within an average of 15 days or less
	Clear 95% of new claims for State Pension within 60 days or less
	Achieve at least 250,000 successful new Pension Credit applications
	Achieve a financial value of new Pension Credit applications of £767 million
	Ensure that at least 93 per cent. of calls to our telephone service are answered by an adviser
	Ensure that less than 1 per cent. of calls to our telephone service receive the engaged tone
	The number of DLA/AA cases referred to Tribunal is to be no more than 4.5 per cent.
	Achieve the customer satisfaction target of 82 per cent. of customers satisfied with the service provided by DLA/AA/CA
	Reduce the cost of processing DLA/AA/CA benefits to £34.35
	Reduce sick absence to no more than 8.2 average working days lost
	We will undertake throughout the year, specified checks and other actions designed to prevent and detect fraud and correcting fraud and error in a minimum of 50,600 cases as a result.
	 Note:
	The 2008-09 Performance standards are published in the Agency's Business Plan.
	I am unable to answer the second part of your question as the PDCS does not have offices in Devon. Our work for Devonian customers is carried out in Swansea Pension Centre, but information available does not distinguish between Devonian and other customers served by Swansea.

Pensioners: Income

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average income of pensioners in each household income  (a) quintile and  (b) decile was in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06.

Rosie Winterton: Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2006-07". This annual report, which is a National Statistics publication, includes the numbers and proportions of pensioners with incomes below 50 per cent, 60 per cent and 70 per cent of median income and by quintile of the income distribution.
	Information on the median equivalised income of pensioners in each household income quintile and decile over the period 2004-05 to 2006-07 is shown in the tables below. Median equivalised incomes are given rather than mean equivalised incomes as these are less influenced by extreme values. The Households Below Average Income publication also uses median rather than mean equivalised incomes. Distributions by equivalised income decile are based on a three year average to help take account of small sample sizes in certain deciles and statistical variation across the years.
	These figures are based on sampling and estimates. Movements in data over short periods may be due to sampling error but over a longer period trends are useful. Incomes in 1996-99 are therefore included for reference. Particular caution is required when looking at the incomes of the lowest deciles as those households stating the lowest incomes to the Family Resources Survey may not actually have the lowest living standards. Many people who report very low incomes appear to have high spending.
	Median equivalised income of pensioners in the bottom quintile increased by 36 per cent. between 1996-99 and 2004-07. Measures introduced by the Government since 1997 to help those on the lowest incomes include the introduction of the Minimum Income Guarantee and its successor Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Payments for those aged 60 and over. For 2009, we will raise the standard minimum guarantee to £130.00—an above indexation increase of £5.95. We will be making an additional payment for winter 2008-09 of £50 for households with someone aged 60-79 and £100 for those with someone aged 80 or over. And in addition to this the Government will make a payment in the new year of £60 for each pensioner, equivalent to bringing forward uprating of the basic State Pension from April to January.
	
		
			  Table 1: Median weekly pensioner incomes by equivalised income quintile across pensioners only, United Kingdom, 1996-99 and 2004-07 (2006-07 prices, after housing costs) 
			  £ 
			   Bottom quintile  Second quintile  Middle quintile  Fourth quintile  Top quintile  Median income 
			 1996-99 122 155 212 292 466 212 
			 2004-07 164 223 289 379 583 289 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Median weekly pensioner incomes by equivalised income decile across pensioners only, United Kingdom, 1996-99 and 2004-07 (2006-07 prices, after housing costs) 
			  £ 
			   Bottom decile  Second decile  Third decile  Fourth decile  Fifth decile 
			 1996-99 103 131 146 168 197 
			 2004-07 130 183 209 237 270 
		
	
	
		
			   Sixth decile  Seventh decile  Eight decile  Ninth decile  Top decile  Median income 
			 1996-99 230 270 319 396 606 212 
			 2004-07 308 354 411 503 747 289 
			  Notes: 1. The information shown is for the United Kingdom for 2004-07, and Great Britain for 1996-99. 2. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or "equivalised") for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. The income distribution is based on pensioners only. 4. Based on survey data and as such subject to a degree of sampling and non sampling error. 5. This response includes incomes for the lowest deciles of the population. These figures are not national statistics and caution must be applied because those people stating the lowest incomes in the FRS may not actually have the lowest living standards. 6 The quintiles and deciles are derived using OECD equivalisation factors. 7. Weekly income amounts have been rounded to the nearest whole pound and are given in 2006-07 prices.

Poverty: Children

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in Hemel Hempstead were living in absolute poverty in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2008; and what percentage of all children living in absolute poverty this represented in each year.

Kitty Ussher: The information requested is not available.
	Our child poverty statistics, published in the Households Below Average Income series, only allow a breakdown of the number of children in absolute poverty at Government office region level. Information is therefore not available at parliamentary constituency level.

Social Fund

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many grants of  (a) crisis loans,  (b) budgeting loans and  (c) community care grants were made by Jobcentre Plus in each month of the last 10 years to applicants (i) of working age and in work, (ii) of working age and out of work and (iii) above state pension age.

Kitty Ussher: Information on initial awards to applicants of working age cannot be split into those in work and those out of work. The available information has been placed in the Library.

Social Fund

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for  (a) crisis loans,  (b) budgeting loans and  (c) community care grants were made to Jobcentre Plus in each month of the last 10 years to applicants (i) of working age and in work, (ii) of working age and out of work and (iii) above state pension age.

Kitty Ussher: Information on applications processed from people of working age cannot be split into those in work and those out of work. The available information has been placed in the Library.

Social Security Benefits

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) research and  (b) analysis his Department has conducted on rates of (i) sickness and (ii) disability benefit claims in (A) coastal towns and (B) principal seaside towns in comparison with average rates for the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: We have not conducted any research or analysis about the rates of sickness and disability benefit claims in coastal towns and principal seaside towns in comparison with rates for the rest of the UK.

Social Security Benefits: Reform

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the White Paper on welfare reform will be published.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 20 November 2008
	We are currently considering responses to the formal consultation on the Green Paper 'No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility'. The consultation ended on 22 October and we will respond as soon as possible.

State Retirement Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of people who would be affected by an increase in the state pension age to 70 by 2020.

Rosie Winterton: Anyone born after 5 April 1959 will be affected by the further increase in state pension age from 65 to 68 between 2024 and 2046. This increase is broadly in line with projected increases in average life expectancy and is a sensible response to the demographic challenge we face today. At the same time, it maintains at a roughly constant level the same proportion of adult life spent in retirement.
	It would not be feasible to increase state pension age to 70 by 2020 without giving those affected sufficient notice, particularly those within 10 years of the equalised state pension age of 65. The number of people affected would depend on how and when the increase was to be implemented and the cohorts of future pensioners it was to apply to.

Vocational Training: South Yorkshire

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which industries have been allocated employment training funding in  (a) South Yorkshire,  (b) Rotherham and  (c) Barnsley in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: The requested information is not available.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to answer question 229579 tabled by the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire on 23 October 2008, on restarting of child maintenance payments.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 17 November 2008
	I replied to the hon. Member's question on 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1302W.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Bankruptcy: Greater London

Paul Burstow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1122W, on bankruptcy: Greater London, if he will provide equivalent information for  (a) 1979,  (b) 1992,  (c) 1997 and  (d) each of the first two quarters of 2008.

Patrick McFadden: The information requested is not available. The number of bankrupt individuals broken down by age and separately by region is only available from 2000 to 2007, and equivalent figures for 2008 will be available in 2009.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

John Redwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what sanctions are available in cases of departmental staff found to have committed disciplinary offences; and how many times each has been used in each of the last three years.

Patrick McFadden: The current sanctions available in cases of departmental staff found to have committed disciplinary offences are as follows:
	1. Formal Warning
	2. Final written warning
	3. Downgrading or Dismissal
	The Department's procedures were revised in June 2007. Prior to June 2007, as part of the disciplinary process, other sanctions were also available depending on circumstances.
	The following table how many times each sanction was used in each of the last three years.
	
		
			   2006  2007  2008 to date 
			 Formal/Final Warning 8 2 2 
			 Dismissal 7 9 6 
			 Other 14 24 —

Departmental Publications

Dai Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reasons his Department's annual report was published on the penultimate sitting day of Parliament before the summer recess.

Patrick McFadden: The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform publishes a combined annual report and accounts. The deadline for publication of combined departmental annual reports and accounts is summer recess.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1125W, on departmental training, what the  (a) duration and  (b) cost was of the training received by the Secretary of State.

Patrick McFadden: The training lasted under an hour and was delivered from within existing internal resources at marginal cost.

Energy Supply: Competition

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Ofgem and  (b) the Competition Commission on the operation of the energy market; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 17 September 2008
	I have been asked to reply.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority on 22 May 2008. Furthermore, on 18 August 2008 he wrote to Ofgem asking for their views on the possibility of requiring the accounting separation of vertically integrated energy companies in order to improve transparency in the energy markets.
	My right hon. Friend has had no recent meetings with the Competition Commission on the operation of the energy market.

Energy: Coatbridge

Tom Clarke: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency are living in fuel poverty; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department does not hold this information. Fuel poverty is a devolved responsibility, and while we compile estimates of fuel poverty at an overall UK level, collection of statistics for each country is undertaken by each devolved office.

EU External Trade

Michael Ancram: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions the Secretary of State has had with the EU Commissioner for Trade since his appointment; and what matters were discussed.

Patrick McFadden: The Secretary of State met the EU Commissioner for Trade on 14 October 2008 for a general handover of the Trade Commissioner's portfolio and on 24 November 2008 for a general discussion of trade issues.

Fireworks: Children

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce the risk of children having access to fireworks.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 12 November 2008
	The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) undertakes annual communication activity to promote firework safety.
	This year's campaign highlights the fact that it is illegal for under 18s to possess fireworks in a public place, and specifically targets shopkeepers reminding them that it is illegal to sell fireworks to under 18s.

Fireworks: Safety

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent steps the Government has taken to publicise the dangers of fireworks.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 12 November 2008
	The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) undertakes annual communication activity to promote firework safety. This year's activity comprised:
	Regional public relations (PR) activity working closely with Fire and Rescue Services, managed by the Central Office of Information (COI) News and PR.
	National and Trade PR activity, managed by BERR Press Office and Media Features Teams.
	Printing and distribution of pre-existing marketing materials (information leaflets and posters).
	Hosting of a dedicated section on fireworks on BERR's website
	www.berr.gov.uk/fireworks
	Promotion and distribution of existing fireworks TV and radio fillers by COI.

Fisheries: Compensation

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects to complete his review of cases in the Icelandic Fishermen's Compensation Scheme; and when he expects to pay those people ruled by the Ombudsman to be eligible for payment but not yet paid.

Patrick McFadden: I have been looking in recent months at the eligibility criteria and rules of the trawlermen scheme, to see whether changes to the rules might better fulfil the policy intentions of the scheme. I hope to make a statement shortly.

Fuel Poverty

James Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of fuel poor households in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 15 September 2008
	 I have been asked to reply.
	Most recent figures show that there were approximately 2.5 million households in fuel poverty in the UK in 2005. This is around 4 million fewer than in 1996, but represents an increase of 0.5 million households since 2004, reflecting the impact of rising energy prices on fuel poverty. The following table shows estimated numbers of households in fuel poverty in each of the recently available years for both England and the UK:
	
		
			  Level of fuel poverty 
			  Total in millions of households 
			   UK  England 
			 1996 6.5 5.1 
			 1998 4.75 3.4 
			 2001 2.5 1.7 
			 2002 2.25 1.4 
			 2003 2 1.2 
			 2004 2 1.2 
			 2005 2.5 1.5 
			 2006 3.5 2.4

Home Computing Initiative

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which companies participated in the home computing initiative; when each company  (a) joined and  (b) left the initiative; what the remit of each company was; and on what commercial terms they became part of the initiative.

Patrick McFadden: The Department did not require this level of detail. However,
	 (a) The Office of Fair Trading have a paper record of 2,375 companies that applied to be members of the HCI Group Licence. A copy of the list of companies will be placed in the Library of each House. HCI Alliance records show that 1,265 employers actually implemented HCI schemes (These records are confidential).
	 (b) No companies left the initiative. They simply could not transact "new" schemes with Income Tax and Class 1 NIC benefits after April 2006. Schemes running prior to April 2006 were not affected by the removal of s320 benefits. All schemes in the market providing income tax benefit, will cease in 2009.
	The remit of each company was to provide a worthwhile benefit to staff and their families, to promote IT skills and thus to retain staff.
	The commercial terms were a matter for companies providing HCI schemes and their clients.

Home Computing Initiative

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) laptops and  (b) items of software were leased to families as part of the home computing initiative; and on what terms they were leased.

Patrick McFadden: The Department did not require this level of detail on how many  (a) people or  (b) families were leased laptops and software as part of the HCI. However, figures supplied by The Digital Inclusion Technology Group (DITG) estimate that 400,000 PCs were loaned through the scheme, with a split of (i) 60 per cent. were laptop/40 per cent. desktop, (ii) software was preloaded and is therefore included in this figure.
	The terms they were leased on, where a matter for employers providing they conformed within the necessary guidance provided by HMRC and OFT.

Home Computing Initiative

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) people and  (b) families were leased (i) laptops and (ii) software as part of the home computing initiative.

Patrick McFadden: The Department did not require this level of detail on how many  (a) people or  (b) families were leased laptops and software as part of the HCI. However, figures supplied by The Digital Inclusion Technology Group (DITG) estimate that 400,000 PCs were loaned through the scheme, with a split of (i) 60 per cent. were laptop/40 per cent. desktop, (ii) Software was preloaded and is therefore included in this figure.

Home Computing Initiative

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment was made of the effectiveness of the home computing initiative in each year between 1999 and 2006.

Patrick McFadden: The Office of e-Envoy had policy responsibility for The Home Computing Initiative (HCI) between 1999 and 2004. Responsibility for HCI Policy was transferred to this Department in January 2004.
	From 2004 and up to the removal of the 1999 tax break in 2006, the Department met regularly with HMT, OFT and the HCI Alliance (BT, Intel and Microsoft) to monitor progress. A core part of this Department's contribution to the project was the production of an information pack which made the guidance material easier to understand for employers and employees wishing to take part in the scheme.
	Our assessment indicated that the Home Computer Initiative had been successful in reaching those in employment. However, it was not reaching those who were not working and Government wanted to refocus its resources to support groups with the poorest access to technology such as the unemployed, elderly, disabled and low-income groups. Consequently the tax exemption was removed.
	Since the demise of 1999 Tax exemption, Government have launched the Home Access Programme—The programme aims to ensure that every learner in England (five to 19 years old and in maintained education) has access to increased educational opportunities via ICT resources at home. The programme is led by the Home Access Taskforce and chaired by the Minister for Schools and Learners, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight).
	The Secretary of State for Wales and Minister with responsibility for digital inclusion, my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) recently launched the cross Government consultation paper "Delivering Digital Inclusion—An Action Plan for Consultation". The action plan seeks to provide a framework for achieving greater digital equality within the UK, through both immediate actions and a number of proposals put forward for wider consultation.

Home Computing Initiative

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the estimated  (a) total,  (b) start up,  (c) monthly running and  (d) wind up costs to the public purse were of the home computing initiative.

Patrick McFadden: The Home Computing Initiative was started up with a mixture of Government and Industry contributions. The Office of the e-Envoy led the project in conjunction with industry partners from the HCI Alliance (BT, Intel and Microsoft). The only costs to Government were our initial start up contribution of £370,000 + staff resources.
	Memoranda of understanding between the Office of the e-Envoy and each key partner and Department was drawn up and agreed in November 2003, formalising each organisation's commitment.
	It was agreed that Government's objective was to produce and distribute information packs, promoting the availability of the 1999 tax break, help industry create a website, and arrange a joint industry—Government launch event on 26 January 2004 supported by PR activity as well as promote the benefits of use of ICT.
	 (c) Monthly running costs were met by the HCI Alliance and this Department does not hold this information.
	 (d) There were no winds up costs for Government as HCI schemes were run by Industry (HCI Alliance), not Government. Home Computing Initiative Schemes (HCD were not Government schemes.

Intellectual Property: Internet

Don Foster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with Ofcom on negotiations over the codes of practice relating to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between rights owners and internet service providers.

Patrick McFadden: None. The memorandum work is progressing along the lines laid down in the actual memorandum of understanding. The codes of practice will be addressed in the new year once the current work on the notification trial and the report on possible technical measures have been completed. We recognise that the memorandum of understanding raises challenging questions for all parties, but we expect there to be broad engagement across relevant sectors on the codes of practice to be developed in the course of this process.

Low Pay: Bolton

David Crausby: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) male and  (b) female workers in Bolton North East constituency receive wages at the national minimum rate.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 6 October 2008
	Information on earnings is taken from the ONS' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) dataset for 2007. Information for individual parliamentary constituencies is not readily available in the ASHE dataset, however, information is available on a government office region basis.
	The following table shows the number of males and females paid at or below the national minimum wage as set on 1 October 2006 for the north west government region in 2007. Also shown are the number of males and females paid at or below 10 pence over the NMW threshold.
	
		
			   Male  Female  Total 
			 At or below NMW 38,000 65,000 104,000 
			 At or below NMW +10p 49,000 91,000 140,000 
			  Note:  National Minimum Wage levels 1 October 2006: 16 to 17-year-old = £3.30 Development rate (18 to 21-year-olds) = £4.45 Adult rate (aged 22+) = £5.35  Source:  ASHE 2007

Office of Gas and Electricity Markets: Gyms

James Duddridge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the annual running costs have been of the gymnasium used by staff at the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets in each year between 2003 and 2007.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The gymnasium at 9 Millbank is funded by licence revenues and membership subscriptions, and not from the public purse.

Office of Gas and Electricity Markets: Gyms

James Duddridge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many Office of Gas and Electricity Markets staff have membership of the gymnasium at 9 Millbank, London, paid for from the public purse.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	None. The gymnasium at 9 Millbank is funded through licence fee income and member subscriptions, and not through the public purse.
	Total membership, which is principally made up of staff from Ofgem, DEFRA and contractors, is currently 284.

Parental Leave: Crosby

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) mothers claimed statutory paid maternity leave and  (b) men claimed statutory paid paternity leave in Crosby constituency in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008.

Patrick McFadden: Information on the take-up of paid maternity and paternity leave is not centrally available by constituency.
	A new mother must take a minimum of two weeks' leave after the birth of her child. The most recent estimates of take-up of paid maternity leave are based on the Maternity Rights and mothers' employment decisions in Britain: Survey of Mothers, conducted in 2007. The survey found 88 per cent. of new mothers took at least some paid statutory maternity leave.
	The most recent estimates of take-up of paternity leave are based on the Maternity and Paternity Rights and Benefits in Britain: Survey of Parents, conducted in 2005. The survey found 93 per cent. of fathers surveyed took some time off around the time of the birth. Of the fathers who took time off, 79 per cent. took at least some paid statutory paternity leave. The Government estimate that around 400,000 fathers are eligible for the entitlement.

Regional Planning and Development: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent in each regional development agency area on  (a) rural,  (b) urban and  (c) coastal communities in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Patrick McFadden: The Department does not record expenditure as requested in the question. Furthermore, to separate out these data would incur disproportionate cost.

Renewable Energy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the written statement of 10 July 2008,  Official Report, column 79WS, on the EU Energy Council, whether the UK is classified as a country with potentially expensive domestic renewables resources; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK/Germany/Poland proposal.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK could be considered as a country with potentially expensive renewable resources—some of our sources of renewable energy (e.g. wind power) are relatively expensive compared with some of those (e.g. biomass, hydro) which are more readily available in many other member states.
	I will place a copy of the UK/Germany/Poland proposal in the Library as requested.

Rescue Services: Telecommunications

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  if he will hold discussions with Ofcom about  (a) the pricing of radio licences and  (b) the effect on the operations of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of changes in licence costs;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to ensure that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution pay a reduced rate for radio licences; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 17 November 2008
	The pricing of radio licences is a matter for the independent regulator, Ofcom.
	Ofcom has recently consulted on the application of Administered Incentive Pricing (AIP) to maritime and aeronautical uses of the radio spectrum. This is in line with agreed policy that users should pay a market rate for the use of spectrum, with the intention of incentivising more efficient use of an increasingly scarce resource.
	Charities such as the RNLI already benefit from a discount under existing arrangements and Ofcom have announced that under the new proposals they estimate that RNLI would pay under £20,000 for radio use, that is lower than they currently pay now.

Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme

Alan Duncan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many successful applications to the Small Firms Loan Guarantee were valued at  (a) £5,000 to £20,000,  (b) £20,001 to £50,000,  (c) £50,001 to £100,000,  (d) £100,001 to £150,000,  (e) £150,001 to £200,000 and  (f) £200,001 to £250,000 in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The following table sets out the number of loans by value made under the Government's Small Firms Loan Guarantee in the last five full calendar years.
	
		
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 £5,000 - £20,000 717 816 623 245 193 
			 £20,001 - £50,000 1,994 2,720 2,743 1,158 969 
			 £50,001 - £100,000 1,713 2,499 2,584 1,242 948 
			 £100,001 - £150,000 373 450 483 467 367 
			 £150,001 - £200,000 147 204 216 159 134 
			 £200,001 - £250,000 223 210 194 159 136 
			 Total 5,167 6,899 6,843 3,430 2,747 
		
	
	Direct year-on-year comparisons would not be appropriate because of changes to the operation and delivery of SFLG during this period, including as a result of the implementation of the Graham Review changes in 2005, which created distinct versions of the scheme.

Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme

Alan Duncan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many successful applications under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee were submitted in the  (a) North West,  (b) North East,  (c) Midlands,  (d) South West,  (e) South East and  (f) London in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The breakdown of SFLG loans made to businesses within each of the English regions for each of the last five financial years is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 North West 628 745 605 310 326 
			 North East 179 236 229 125 110 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 447 565 494 217 186 
			 West Midlands 498 636 535 244 231 
			 East Midlands and East of England 942 1,162 925 391 399 
			 London and South East 1,441 2,007 1,810 844 691 
			 South West 642 748 578 212 212 
		
	
	Direct year-on-year comparisons would not be appropriate because of changes to the operation and delivery of SFLG during this period, including as a result of the implementation of the Graham Review changes in 2005, which created distinct versions of the scheme.

Tour Operators: EC Action

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the operation of the EU Package Travel Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Department has pressed the European Commission to review the Directive (90/314/EEC). This process is underway and this Department will continue to engage the Commission as this work progresses. At the UK's suggestion, the Commission is currently undertaking consumer research in respect of leisure travel arrangements not currently within the scope of the directive in order that any future proposals should be properly evidence-based. We expect proposals to be published by the end of 2009.

Trade: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps the Government is taking to promote trade between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the United Kingdom.

Gareth Thomas: Hong Kong is one of the UK's most important business partners in the Asia Pacific region. This year there have been ministerial and VIP visits to promote the bilateral trade and investment relationship by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary (February), and my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, my right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton) (June), and the Lord Mayor of London (July).
	Her Majesty's Consul General and the UK Trade and Investment team actively support British business in Hong Kong including practical market entry assistance, market research and support on trade missions and trade fairs. The Consulate General's premises are also regularly used to host events for British companies. The UK Trade and Investment team in Hong Kong are also working with their colleagues in Mainland China and the China Britain Business Council to provide British companies with integrated trade services covering Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta.
	Alongside mainland China, Hong Kong is included in UKTI's High Growth Markets Programme.
	In addition UKTI is working closely with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council through the Hong Kong/UK Business Partnership to identify and deliver increased bilateral trade opportunities.

UK Trade and Investment: Public Appointments

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2147W, on UK trade and investment: public appointments, what the salary of the head of the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation is.

Gareth Thomas: The salary paid to HDSO is in the range of £195,000 to £200,000. Full details of his remuneration will be published in the UKTI Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09 alongside those of UKTPs senior management.

UK Trade and Investment: Secondment

David Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many secondments from the private sector to the Defence and Security Organisation of UK Trade and Investment there have been since its creation.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 24 November 2008
	No secondments from the private sector have been made to the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation since its creation on 1 April 2008.

Unfair Practices: Sales

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Chichester of 20 February 2008,  Official Report, column 727W, on unfair practices: sales, what definition of a consumer for the purposes of protection from unfair trading his Department uses.

Gareth Thomas: The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which implement the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, define a consumer as
	"any individual who in relation to a commercial practice is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession".

Wind Power

David Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects to announce his decision on the application by Npower Renewables for consent for the development of the Gwynt y Mor wind farm under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 6 October 2008
	I have been asked to reply.
	I will do so shortly.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Adult Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many learner places classified as adult learner responsive  (a) were funded by the Learning and Skills Council in each of the last five years and  (b) will be funded by the Learning and Skills Council in each of the next three years.

Si�n Simon: Our planned and continuing strategy has been to prioritise funding away from a high number of shorter and low quality courses towards longer courses that offer the greatest opportunity to gain employability skills and further progression in learning.
	Total adult (aged 19 or over) further education learner places funded through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the last five academic years for which data are available are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  LSC-funded FE adult learners 2002/03 to 2006/07 
			  Million 
			   2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07 
			 Learner numbers 3.2 3.4 3.5 2.9 2.1 
			  Source: LSC Statistical First Release 
		
	
	The forecast learner places supported through the adult learner responsive route for the next three academic years are shown in the following table.
	Planned volumes for 2007/08 are also included here, as final figures for this year are not yet available:
	
		
			  LSC-funded adult learners through the adult learner responsive route 2007/08 to 2010/11 
			  Million 
			   2007/08  2008/09  2009/10  2010/11 
			 Total learners 1.7 1.6 1.3 1.3 
			  Source: LSC Grant Letter 2008/09 
		
	
	These figures are for planning purposes only, and do not include learning activity that is fully funded by the learner or other non LSC funding routes. We are currently working on the LSC Grant Letter and Statement of Priorities for 2009-10 which will set confirm the investment strategy for 2009-10 and associated learner numbers.
	Learner places have been classified as either adult learner responsive or employer responsive since the publication of the LSC Grant Letter for 2008/09. It is therefore not possible to directly compare pre-2008/09 data with post-2008/09 data.

Adult Education: North West

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which institutions form part of the North West's lifelong learning network.

Si�n Simon: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is responsible for managing the Lifelong Learning Network (LLN) programme. There are five Lifelong Learning Networks in the north-west: Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria Higher Learning, Lancashire, Greater Merseyside and West Lancashire. These LLNs have received over 15 million of HEFCE funding. The following institutions are involved in the five LLNs in the north-west region:
	 Cheshire and Warrington (now ended  funding period)
	University of Chester
	Edge Hill University
	Manchester Metropolitan University
	University of Liverpool
	Macclesfield College
	Mid-Cheshire College of Further Education
	Reaseheath College
	South Cheshire College
	West Cheshire College
	Warrington Collegiate Institute
	Burton upon Trent Technical College
	 Cumbria Higher Learning
	Carlisle College
	Furness College
	Kendal College
	Lakes College
	Lancaster University
	Open University
	University of Cumbria
	University of Central Lancashire
	 Greater Manchester Strategic Alliance
	Open University
	Royal Northern College of Music
	University of Bolton
	Manchester Metropolitan University
	University of Manchester
	University of Salford
	Bolton College
	Bury College
	City College, Manchester
	Hopwood Hall College
	Manchester College of Arts and Technology
	North Trafford College of Further Education
	Oldham College
	Salford College
	South Trafford College
	Stockport College
	Tameside College
	Wigan and Leigh College
	Holy Cross College
	Pendleton College
	Ashton-under-Lyne Sixth Form College
	Eccles College
	Xaverian College
	St John Rigby Roman Catholic Sixth Form College
	Aquinas College
	 Greater Merseyside and West Lancashire
	Birkenhead VI Form College
	Blackburn House Group
	Carmel College
	Edge Hill University
	Hugh Baird College
	King George V College
	Knowsley Community College
	Liverpool Community College
	The Open University
	Riverside College Halton
	Skelmersdale and Ormskirk Colleges
	Southport College
	St. Helens College
	St. John Rigby College
	University of Liverpool
	Wirral Met College
	 Lancashire
	The University of Central Lancashire (lead)
	The University of Cumbria
	Edge Hill University
	Lancaster University
	The Open University in the North West Colleges:
	Accrington and Rossendale College
	Blackburn College
	Blackpool and the Fylde College
	Burnley College
	Lancaster and Morecombe College
	Myerscough College
	Nelson and Colne College
	Preston College
	Runshaw College
	Southport College
	St Mary's College Blackburn
	Skelmersdale and Ormskirk Colleges

Departmental Internet

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills for which Government websites his Department is responsible; how many visitors each received in the last period for which figures are available; and what the cost of maintaining each site was in that period.

Si�n Simon: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created in June 2007. The current website was created in October 2007 and no visitor figures prior to October 2007 are available. The cost of maintaining the Department's corporate site was 104,336 in 2007-08 with 494,596 unique visitors to the site October 2007-March 2008.
	The following websites became the responsibility of the Department in June 2007 and their visitor figures and maintenance costs for the full 2007-08 period are available.
	
		
			   Unique visitors to site 2007-08  Costs of maintaining the site 2007-08 () 
			 The Intellectual Property Office (www.ipo.gov.uk) 2,412,300 130,858 
			 RoHS Enforcement (www.rohs.gov.uk) 485,593 9,261 
			 Foresight (www.foresight.gov.uk) 124,276 78,576 
			 The National Weights and Measures Laboratory (www.nwml.gov.uk) 270,628 12,791 
			 www.innovation.gov.uk 72,280 26,000 
			 British National Science Centre (www.bnsc.gov.uk) (1)  
			 (1) Full data not available

Departmental Land

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much surplus land  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies own; and what the (i) area and (ii) estimated monetary value of each site is.

Si�n Simon: Neither the Department nor its agencies own any surplus land.

Departmental Older Workers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people recruited by his Department in 2007-08 were aged over  (a) 55 years and  (b) 60 years; and what percentage this represented of the number of new recruits in each case.

Si�n Simon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 280W.

Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether his Department uses Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages.

Si�n Simon: The Department's postal services are provided through the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. In both cases, the majority of DIUS's external post, parcels and packages are dispatched via Royal Mail (including Parcelforce).

Departmental Television

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether the television licence fee in his official Ministerial residence is paid for from public funds.

Si�n Simon: Ministers in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills do not have the use of an official ministerial residence.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what personal training courses at public expense he has undertaken since his appointment.

Si�n Simon: None.

Departmental Written Questions

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many questions for written answer were tabled to his Department in Session  (a) 2002-03,  (b) 2003-04,  (c) 2004-05,  (d) 2005-06,  (e) 2006-07 and  (f) 2007-08 to date; and how many were (i) answered substantively and (ii) not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Si�n Simon: The numbers of written parliamentary questions received by this Department in each session since it was formed on 28 June 2007 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Session  Total number of written parliamentary questions tabled 
			 2006-07 531 
			 2007-08 (to date) 1,942 
		
	
	Information on how many questions received a substantive answer or were not answered on disproportionate cost grounds is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Engineering Workforce Development Scheme: Crosby

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many workers in Crosby constituency have received training under the Engineering Workforce Development Scheme since its inception.

David Lammy: Following extensive inquiries with a wide range of regional partners including the Northwest Regional Development Agency, it has not been possible to identify the engineering workforce development scheme in Crosby. If my hon. Friend wishes to write to me separately with more detail about the scheme, I will endeavour to provide the information requested.

English Language: General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of over-16 year-olds who do not have a grade C or above in English at GCSE or an equivalent qualification.

Si�n Simon: The Skills for Life survey in 2003 estimated the literacy and numeracy levels and functional ability of adults in England. The Skills for Life survey reported that 10 per cent. of adults aged 16 to 65 achieved a D-G grade in English Language. Half of the respondents in the 2003 survey (51 per cent.) had a grade A*- C GCSE (or equivalent) in this subject and the rest (40 per cent .) did not have this qualification.
	Since we launched our SfL strategy in 2001, more than 2.25 million people have improved their literacy and numeracy skillsmeeting our 2010 PSA target more than two years early.

Further Education: Debts

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the level of total debt taken out by further education colleges at commercial rates of interest has been in each year since 2001.

Si�n Simon: Information on the level of debt taken out by further education (FE) colleges is not held at departmental level. The financial position of FE colleges is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC's chief executive, Mark Haysom, will write to the hon. Member for Havant with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Languages: Further Education

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what progress he has made towards the implementation of Lord Justice Auld's recommendation that the Government should consider central funding of further education establishments to equip them, where necessary, to provide courses for lesser known languages for the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: I would like to refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 24 November,  Official Report, column 1029W.

Learning and Skills Council for England

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of the Learning and Skills Council budget is allocated to  (a) Gwent and  (b) Wales.

Si�n Simon: The Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) remit is to provide funding for England only. The Welsh Assembly is responsible for Learning and Skills in Wales. Under section 12 of the Further Education and Training Act 2007, the LSC may take part in arrangements in relation to Wales and Scotland to assist in the training for employment opportunities, subject to the consent of the Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers. This has allowed Wales to participate in the Career Development Loan Scheme. Approximately 4 per cent. of the Career Development Loans scheme is allocated to Wales, this equates to 947,000. No figures are available for Gwent.

National Vocational Qualifications: Horse Riding

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how much funding the Government will allocate for horse riding and horse care national vocational qualifications in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what public funds were made available for national vocational qualifications in horse riding and horse care in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 .

Si�n Simon: As announced through the Government's Grant Letter to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) on 18 November, funding for adult learning will be 3.3 billion in 2009-10, an increase of 4.2 per cent. compared with 2008-09.
	Colleges and providers are given indicative budgets based on the expected delivery of an overall volume of learning; the actual funding paid will depend on the choice of learning area made by employers and learners. As funding is not allocated at an individual course level, details of the amount made available to support these specific qualifications are not held centrally in the Department.
	However, the LSC are able to provide a breakdown of funds directed towards specific qualifications in past years. I have asked Mark Haysom, chief executive of the LSC, to write out detailing how much was spent on NVQs in horse riding and horse care in 2006-07 and 2007-08. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library. It is not possible, however, for any estimate to be given of future funding, since investment from the LSC in specific qualifications comes only in response to demand from learners and employers.
	All the sector skills councils (Lantra, for equine studies) are working to develop sector qualifications strategies. These identify the training and skills needs of their sector, and the qualifications that best meet these needs. Public funding for vocational qualifications will increasingly be focused on those qualifications that are deemed a priority for and by particular sectors.

National Vocational Qualifications: Horse Riding

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether he has plans further to develop the national vocational qualifications for horse riding and horse care.

Si�n Simon: Sector Skills Councils lead in identifying and driving the development, with awarding bodies, of vocational qualifications which are really needed by their sectors and will best meet the needs of employers and learners.

Performance Appraisal

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable assessment grade in their annual report in the latest reporting year for which figures are available.

Si�n Simon: The Department was created on 28 June 2007. The Department's own performance process was introduced this year but will not trigger any reports, including those judged to be unacceptable, until March 2009. Analysis of performance markings using the legacy Department's processes for 2008 is expected to be complete by January 2009.

Plain English

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many documents produced by his Department have been submitted to the Plain English Campaign for approval for Crystal Mark status since his Department's creation; in each year since 2005; and how many documents achieved such status in each year.

Si�n Simon: DIUS was formed following machinery of government changes on 28 June 2007. DIUS publications are produced by many policy teams who use different suppliers and we do not have a central record of how many have sort approval for Crystal Mark status or how many achieved that status. The information requested can therefore be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, DIUS shares editorial services with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and therefore only uses editors on the DCSF framework. While there is no requirement in the shared services protocol for documents to be submitted to the Plain English Campaign, all editors on the DCSF framework are made aware of the importance of writing in plain English as stated in the role definition for editors:
	It is our aim to produce products which are informative, accessible and written in plain English. Each product needs to be tailored to its respective audience, both in terms of design and content.
	The Department also uses the Central Office of Information (COI) who project manage key DIUS publications. COI has confirmed that
	all COI publications editors are trained and able to write in clear English (which) is about writing in a style that is clear, relevant, appropriate and easy for the intended audience to use, understand and act upon the first time they read it.
	The Department also uses the Further Education Communications Gateway panel (FECG), which defines and promotes standards for producing good quality communications for the FE System. The FECG panel currently reviews proposals for and drafts of new DIUS, DCSF and LSC publications that are intended primarily for providers in the FE system and have through this work developed publishing guidelines.

Pre-school Education: Qualifications

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much on average it cost  (a) his Department to provide and  (b) a student to complete an NVQ level 3 course in child care in the last 12 months; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to employers per employee taking such a course in that period.

Si�n Simon: All qualifications that receive public funding through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), including NVQ level 3 qualifications, are funded at a national rate. This rate is based on the number of hours required to complete the course and a national fee assumption of the amount that either the learner or employer will contribute to the cost of the course, where full fee remission does not apply. For 2008-09, the national fee assumption is 42.5 per cent.
	While the national fee assumption is taken into account in the calculation of funding rates, it is for colleges and providers to determine the actual level of fee charged. Where a learner is aged 19-25 and studying for their first full level 3 qualification, they will pay no fee where their qualification is delivered through the adult learner-responsive route or through Train to Gain.
	The actual amount of funding that an individual college or provider receives to deliver an NVQ level 3 qualification may vary, due to the application of a provider factor. The provider factor takes account of, for example, costs arising from delivering to learners from disadvantaged areas, and the costs related to delivering specific types of course.
	I have asked Mark Haysom, the chief executive of the LSC, to write detailing the cost of NVQ level 3 qualifications in child care for the 2008-09 academic year. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Research: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which international research facilities receive funding from the EU budget.

Si�n Simon: The following research facilities include non EU Members, and receive funding from the EU budget: CERN, the Institut Laue-Langevin and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The European Union does not provide recurrent funding for any of these facilities but has provided funding in response to competitive bids to the EC such as through the Euratom or framework programmes.
	In addition, ITER (the International Tokomak Experimental Reactor) is in the process of being built at Cadarache in France. The European Union framework programme provides 36 per cent. of the funding for ITER.

Students: Income

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the average gross annual employment income of  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time undergraduate students who undertook paid work in the last academic year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The Student Income and Expenditure Survey (SIES) is a comprehensive study of students' income, expenditure, borrowing and debt The 2004-05 study showed that 56 per cent. of full-time and 83 per cent. of part-time undergraduate students undertook paid work at some time during the academic yeareither during term time, during the short vacations or both. For those undertaking such work, their net earnings (after tax) were on average 3,250 for full-time and 10,390 part time students. Gross earnings are not available.
	The 2007-08 Student Income and Expenditure Survey will be published in early 2009.

Train to Gain Programme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people living in the Vale of York have participated in Train to Gain in each of the last three years.

Si�n Simon: There were 190 people living in the parliamentary constituency of the Vale of York who started a Train to Gain programme in 2006-07.
	 Notes:
	1. Train to Gain was created in April 2006. Standard reporting practice is to include the months of April to July 2006 in the 2006-07 academic year. The figure of 190 therefore covers Train to Gain starts over a 16 month period.
	2. Fully audited figures are not yet available for 2007-08.

Unemployment

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 39-42W, on unemployment, if he will break down the information in each table by  (a) socio-economic group and  (b) ethnicity.

Si�n Simon: The estimates of numbers Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) and NEET rates for 16-24 year olds presented in the following tables are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for Quarter 4 1997 and Quarter 4 2007 as in the previous reply. In order to ensure that the estimates are reasonably robust the tables shown here are for all England given the nature of the breakdowns requested. Despite the condensed nature of the groups shown in the tables some of the estimates are based on small samples and should be treated with caution.
	The socio-economic group or National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) of a respondent to the Labour Force Survey is based on their own current or past occupation. Consequently such a breakdown is not well suited to young people as it will merely reflect their own most recent occupation rather than their family background. Nevertheless information on two broad groupings of NS-SEC are shown below for Quarter 4 2007. Comparable information by NS-SEC is not available for 1997.
	
		
			  Table (a.1) Not in education, employment or training (NEET) in Quarter 4 2007 by age, gender and broad National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) 
			  Numbers  16-18( 1)  19-24( 1) 
			   Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			 Higher NS-SEC groups(2) 7,000 5,000 12,000 38,000 60,000 99,000 
			 Lower NS-SEC groups(3) 104,000 76,000 180,000 188,000 304,000 492,000 
			 England 111,000 81,000 192,000 226,000 364,000 590,000 
			
			  Rates (per cent.)   
			 Higher NS-SEC groups(2) 7 8 8 5 8 6 
			 Lower NS-SEC groups(3) 11 9 10 16 25 21 
			 England 11 9 10 11 18 15 
			 (1) Analysis based on academic age; respondents age at preceding 31 August. (2) For the purposes of this analysis Higher NS-SEC groups are those from higher managerial down to lower supervisory categories. (3) For the purposes of this analysis Lower NS-SEC groups are those from the semi routine, routine and never worked, unemployed over a year, not elsewhere classified (NEC) categories. All full time students are defined to be in the NEC category and will therefore be counted in the denominator for the lower NS-SEC groups.  Source:  Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	In order to present reasonably robust estimates the only split by ethnicity here is between white and non-white. There was also a change in the definition of ethnicity between 1997 and 2007 which would make it difficult to present consistent data for a more detailed breakdown.
	
		
			  Table (b1) Not in education, employment or training (NEET) in Quarter 4 1997 by age, gender and ethnicity 
			  Numbers  16-18( 1)  19-24( 1) 
			   Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			 White 67,000 72,000 139,000 164,000 264,000 428,000 
			 Non-White 7,000 11,000 18,000 26,000 54,000 80,000 
			 England 74,000 83,000 157,000 190,000 318,000 507,000 
			
			  Rates (per cent.)   
			 White 8 9 9 11 17 14 
			 Non-White 7 12 9 16 31 24 
			 England 8 10 9 11 19 15 
			 (1) Analysis based on academic age; respondents age at preceding 31 August  Source:  Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  In Quarter 4 2007 by age, gender and ethnicity 
			  Numbers  16-18( 1)  19-24( 1) 
			   Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  Total 
			 White 94,000 73,000 167,000 184,000 295,000 479,000 
			 Non-White 16,000 8,000 24,000 42,000 68,000 110,000 
			 England 111,000 81,000 192,000 226,000 364,000 590,000 
			
			  Rates (per cent)   
			 White 11 9 10 11 17 14 
			 Non-White 12 6 9 14 23 19 
			 England 11 9 10 11 18 15 
			 (1) Analysis based on academic age; respondents age at preceding 31 August.  Source:  Labour Force Survey

United Kingdom Accreditation Service: Consultants

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells of 1 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 686-87W, on the United Kingdom Accreditation Service: Grayling Political Strategy, if he will place in the Library a copy of the reply from the Chief Executive of Ufi.

Si�n Simon: holding answer 20 November 2008
	 I have arranged for a copy of the reply from Sarah Jones, the chief executive of Ufi, to be placed in the Library.

Written Questions: Government Responses

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many questions for written answer have been tabled to his Department during the current Session; and how many have yet to receive a substantive reply.

Si�n Simon: This Department has received a total of 1,942 written parliamentary questions for answer this Session, of which 111 still require a substantive reply.

Young People: Unemployment

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many 16 to 24 year olds were not in employment, education or training in  (a) North Yorkshire,  (b) London and  (c) England in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many 16 to 24 year olds were in post-16 education in  (a) North Yorkshire,  (b) London and  (c) England in each year since 1997.

Si�n Simon: The following tables show estimates of the numbers and percentage of people aged 16 to 24 (i) not in education, employment or training (NEET) and (ii) in post-16 education for North Yorkshire LEA, London and England. Post-16 education is defined here as being enrolled on an education course, studying or working towards a qualification or undertaking an apprenticeship.
	The estimates are from the Annual Population Survey (APS) for 2004 to 2007 and from its predecessor the Annual Local Area Labour Force Survey (ALALFS) for 2000 to 2003. The definitions and methods used are the same for both the ALALFS and the APS. Comparable information is not available for earlier years.
	
		
			  (i) 16-24( 1 ) year olds not in education, employment or training 
			  Number and percentage 
			   North Yorkshire LEA  London  England  North Yorkshire LEA  London  England 
			 2000(2) 4,000 117,000 686,000 11 14 13 
			 2001(2) 4,000 124,000 704,000 8 14 14 
			 2002(2) 5,000 126,000 730,000 11 15 14 
			 2003(2) 5,000 131,000 756.000 11 15 14 
			 2004(3) 4,000 143,000 747,000 9 17 14 
			 2005(3) 6,000 148,000 820,000 11 17 14 
			 2006(3) 6,000 145,000 849,000 11 17 15 
			 2007(3) 6,000 136,000 850,000 9 16 14 
			 (1) Age used is the respondent's academic age, which is defined as their age at the preceding 31 August. (2) These data are from the Annual Local Area Labour Force Survey (ALALFS) which covers the period from March of the year shown to the following February . (3) These data are from the Annual Population Survey (APS) which covers the calendar year from January to December. 
		
	
	
		
			  (ii) 16-24( 1)  year olds in post-16 education( 2) 
			  Number and percentage 
			   North Yorkshire LEA  London  England  North Yorkshire LEA  London  England 
			 2000(3) 19,000 416,000 2,388,000 48 49 47 
			 2001(3) 21,000 429,000 2,410,000 49 50 46 
			 2002(3) 24,000 445,000 2,509,000 48 51 47 
			 2003(3) 24,000 441,000 2,543,000 48 51 47 
			 2004(4) 24,000 423,000 2,589,000 46 50 47 
			 2005(4) 26,000 434,000 2,657,000 46 51 47 
			 2006(4) 26,000 423,000 2,690,000 44 49 47 
			 2007(4) 29,000 445,000 2,748,000 49 51 47 
			 (1) Age used is the respondent's academic age, which is defined as their age at the preceding 31 August. (2) Post-16 education is defined here as being enrolled on an education course, studying or working towards a qualification or undertaking an apprenticeship. (3) These data are from the Annual Local Area Labour Force Survey (ALALFS) which covers the period from March of the year shown to the following February . (4) These data are from the Annual Population Survey (APS) which covers the calendar year from January to December.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for the academies programme beyond 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Government are committed to continuing to develop the academies programme and establishing at least 400 academies.

Academies: Admissions

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils he estimates will be in an academy in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: There are around 150,000 students in the academies that have already opened. The target for 2009 is for up to another 80 academies to open. The average size of an academy is around 1,200 pupils so 80 new academies will add up to around 96,000 extra places in academies for 2009.

Academies: Admissions

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans his Department has to conduct a review of academies' admissions policies and procedures; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Government have no plans to conduct a review of Academies admissions. Academies are required by law to cater for children of all abilities. The School Admissions Code that came into force on 28 February 2007 applies to all maintained schools and Academies when setting their admission arrangements for September 2008 and subsequent years.

Academies: Higher Education

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many universities  (a) are sponsors and  (b) have expressed an interest in becoming a sponsor of an academy; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: There are currently 48 universities involved in the academies programme; some are involved in more than one project and/or in more than one role at different academies. Of these 48:
	35 are involved as sponsors (or potential sponsors)
	22 are involved as educational partners (or potential educational partners).

Academies: Local Education Authorities

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many academies are being co-sponsored by a local education authority; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: There are seven open academies that are currently jointly sponsored by a local authority and another 21 in various stages of planning.
	All academies must have a local authority representative on their governing body. Where a local authority is a co-sponsor, they can appoint up to two governors to the governing body. However, the lead sponsor must appoint the majority.

Academies: Per Capita Costs

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding per pupil was provided to city academies in  (a) Norwich North constituency and  (b) England in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09; how many pupils attended each city academy in (A) Norwich North constituency and (B) England in each of these years; and for how many pupils in each city academy in (1) Norwich North constituency and (2) England funding was provided in each of those years.

Jim Knight: Academies are funded on an academic year rather than a financial year basis. We aim to provide academies with funding for running costs that is equivalent to other state-funded schools in similar circumstances in their local authority. This requires us to make certain adjustments, for example, to reflect a phased intake of pupils, or VAT status. In addition, academies are funded to buy services that local authorities would normally provide to other schools free of charge, such as education welfare services.
	As The Open Academy, Norwich, only opened in September 2008, it did not receive any recurrent funding in 2007-08. For academic year 2008-09, The Open Academy received 5,200 per pupil, based on the academy's forecast of 538 pupils and calculated using the figures for other schools in the local authority. This excludes the extra money paid to cover for increased costs to replicate additional local authority central expenditure on services such as education welfare offices, HR and legal fees; and also a one-off start-up grant to cover items such as new uniforms and materials. These additional elements totalled 1,531,269.
	The following table shows the latest available data on average per pupil funding of academies and maintained community secondary schools in English local authorities with academies:
	
		
			  Financial year  Average per pupil funding in academies( 1)  Average school based expenditure per pupil in maintained community secondary schools in local authorities with academies 
			 2006-07 4,600 4,684 
			 2007-08 4,927 Not available 
			 (1) Excludes elements paid to academies to compensate for increased costs (start-up grant; VAT grant; earmarked additional grants; and local authority central spend equivalent grant). 
		
	
	The actual number of pupils at The Open Academy has been counted in the autumn term Schools Census but the data are not yet available. As the academy is in its first year, its funding is based on a forecast and will be subject to adjustment if actual pupil numbers vary from the estimate by more than 2.5 per cent.

Academies: Pupil Exclusions

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for the Independent Appeals Panels for exclusions from academies; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Pupils at academies have exactly the same rights as pupils in other state-funded schools to an independent appeal panel hearing in cases where they are permanently excluded. Academies are required, by their funding agreements, to follow the same procedures in relation to such appeal panels as apply in maintained schools.

Academies: Sponsorship

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many new sponsors he estimates will become actively involved in the academies programme in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have made no estimate of the number of new sponsors that will become actively involved in the academies programme in the next 12 months. The Government remain fully committed to the programme and aims to open up to 80 more academies in 2009 and up to 100 in 2010.

Academies: Standards

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of academies had 30 per cent. or more pupils gain five A* to C grades at GCSE in each of the last three years; what assessment he has made of how this compares with other schools in the state sector; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The following table sets out the percentage of maintained mainstream schools, City Technology Colleges and Academies where at least 30 per cent. of 15 year olds achieved 5+A*-C at GCSE or equivalent for each of the last three years. Figures for Academies cover those for which results are available.
	
		
			   Academies (excludes former City Technology Colleges)  Maintained mainstream schools, City Technology Colleges and Academies 
			   Total number of Academies  Number and percentage of Academies above 30 5+ A*-C  Number and percentage of Academies above 30 5+ A*-C (including English and maths)  Total number of schools  Number and percentage of schools above 30 5+ A*-C  Number and percentage of schools above 30 5+ A*-C (including English and maths) 
			Number  %  Number  %   Number  %  Number  % 
			 2004-05 14 7 50 0 0 3,095 2,865 93 2,171 70 
			 2005-06 21 18 86 3 14 3,072 2,938 96 2,283 74 
			 2006-07 36 34 94 10 28 3,045 2,981 98 2,407 79 
		
	
	Many academies have been established to replace low-attaining schools. By 2007, for the 36 academies with low-attaining predecessor schools, the proportion of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at A*-C had almost doubled, from 22 per cent. n 2001 to 43.7 per cent. in 2007 compared to a national increase of 12.2 per cent.

Arts: Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school inspections Ofsted carried out on creative learning programmes in 2008.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 6 November 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	In 2008, Ofsted is carrying out a survey of creativity across the school curriculum and this involves a sample of primary and secondary schools. As of 5 November 2008, 33 schools have been inspected. We intend to inspect a further 10 schools before inspection retrieval and analysis are undertaken and report writing begins. The intention is to publish the report in late summer 2009.
	The focus of the survey is the impact of creative learning on the achievement and personal development of pupils. It will consider how schools assess the quality and development of creative learning across the curriculum.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of schools built under the Building Schools for the Future programme have  (a) 1,000 pupils or fewer,  (b) 1,001 to 1,500 pupils,  (c) 1,501 to 2,000 pupils and  (d) more than 2,000 pupils.

Jim Knight: The number of pupils in the schools that are expected to be rebuilt or refurbished in Waves 1-3 of Building Schools for the Future is set out in the following table. This includes the 42 BSF schools which are now open. These are the current plans, which may change as projects develop. Plans for schools in later waves of the programme have not yet been finalised.
	
		
			  Number of pupils  Number of schools  Percentage of total 
			 0-1000 230 56 
			 1,001-1,500 155 38 
			 1,501 -2,000 22 5 
			 2,000+ 5 1 
			  Notes: 1. Includes mainstream and special schools. 2. Waves 1-3 only 3. Does not include recently built schools which are only receiving ICT funding under BSF.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Merseyside

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many new school buildings are scheduled to open under the Building Schools for the Future programme in Merseyside in the next three years.

Jim Knight: 15 new and three refurbished schools are scheduled to open across Merseyside in the next three years. Liverpool city council plans are that six new schools will be built and a further three remodelled over the next three years. Knowsley metropolitan borough council plans to complete the building of seven new learning centres and two special schools by 2011.
	St. Helens is in wave 5 of the programme and plans to complete the first new school buildings in 2012. Neighbouring authorities in Sefton and Wirral have yet to start their BSF projects.

Children in Care: Boarding Schools

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils who were looked after were boarders according to the most recent school census from which data are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It is not possible, given the amount of analysis required, to provide a response to this question within the timeframe required by Parliament. The requested information will be provided by the school census team and placed in the Library in due course.
	The most recent census data relate to January 2008
	The census shows 34,390 pupils aged 5 to 19 attending primary, secondary and special schools who are classed as being in care as at January 2008. Data published by the Department as SFR 23/2008: Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008, show 47,600 children aged between five and 19 as being looked after as at 31 March 2008. The school census does not cover all looked after children; information is not collected for pupils in alternative provision, including pupil referral units, FE colleges, voluntary provision and those not in education or training. These differences in coverage will explain the different counts to an extent, but it is possible that the school census undercounts the number of looked after children in primary, secondary and special schools.

Children in Care: Crime

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he plans to take to assist local authorities in preventing offending by looked-after children.

Beverley Hughes: I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 11 November,  Official Report, column 1067-8W.
	With the Children and Young Persons Act receiving royal assent and to deliver the commitments set out in the Care Matters White Paper to drive significant improvement in outcomes for looked after children, we will be revising guidance to local authorities. This revised guidance will offer more detail about the responsibilities for preventing offending by looked after children and, about their responsibilities for establishing the necessary relationships with youth justice professionals so that, when looked after children do offend, plans are put in place to support the child to prevent re-offending.

Children in Care: Crime

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what research his Department and its predecessor has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on links between young people in care and criminality in the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: The Department has commissioned the following research studies on the links between young people in care and criminality in the past five years:
	'An Analysis of Offending by Young People looked After by Local Authorities' (Darker I, Ward H, and Caulfield L, University of Loughborough) looks at the association between local authority care and offending behaviour. The report can be found in Youth Justice, Vol. 8, No. 2, 134-148 (2008)
	http://articleworks.cadmus.com/doc/880744.
	'Young people Leaving Care: A study of costs and outcomes' (Dixon J, Wade J et al) looked at offending behaviour among other outcomes. A summary can be found at
	http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/research/pdf/leavinq.pdf
	'Managing Children's Homes: Developing effective Leadership' (Hicks and Gibbs et al, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York) examined the outcomes for a sample of 175 children after one year, including behaviour problems and criminality. The report was published by Jessica Kingsley Publishing in 2007
	http://php.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/pubs/146/
	'Targeted Youth Support Pathfinders' (Rodger J, Palmer H and Mahon J) looked at being in care as a potential risk factor to poor outcomes, including offending behaviour. An interim report published November 2007 is available at
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR016.pdf

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment his Department has made of the  (a) adequacy and  (b) distribution of the budget for delivery of the free childcare entitlement.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 591-92W.

Children: Day Care

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in Houghton and Washington East constituency took up free nursery places in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: The Department publishes information on the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds. This is derived by counting children taking up 12 and a half hours per week as one place, 10 hours per week as 0.8 places, seven and a half hours per week as 0.6 places, five hours per week as 0.4 places and two and a half hours per week as 0.2 places.
	The following table provides this information for Houghton and Washington, East parliamentary constituency area in 2008.
	
		
			  Part-time equivalent number of free early education places( 1,2)  filled by three and four-year-olds: Parliamentary constituencyHoughton and Washington, East 
			  Position in January 2008 
			   Three-year-olds  Four-year-olds 
			   Maintained nursery and primary schools( 3)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers( 4)  Total three-year- olds  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 5)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers( 6)  Total four-year-olds 
			 2008 720 170 880 880 30 910 
			 (1) A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,00 and to the nearest 10 otherwise. (3) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census. (4) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. (5) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census. (6) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. 
		
	
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release (SFR) 12/2008 Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2008, available on my Department's website
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000790/index.shtml.

Children: Day Care

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many childcare places there were in Crosby constituency in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2008.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not available by parliamentary constituency. The following tables show the number of child care places in Sefton local authority for 1997 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 1:  Number( 1,2)  of day care places for children under eight years of age by type of providerSefton local authority area, Position at 31 March 1997 
			  Type of provider  1997 
			 Day nurseries 1,000 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 1,800 
			 Childminders 1,300 
			 Out of school clubs 100 
			 Holiday schemes (3) 700 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100. (2) Data source: Children's Day Care Facilities Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number( 1,2)  of registered childcare places for children under eight years of age by type of careSefton local authority area, Position at 31 March 2008 
			  Type of care  2008 
			 Full day care 3,100 
			 Sessional day care 700 
			 Childminders 900 
			 Out of school day care 2,200 
			 Crche day care 200 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100. (2) Data Source: Ofsted 
		
	
	Since 2003 Ofsted has been responsible for the registration and inspection of child care providers. Ofsted have produced figures on the numbers of registered child care providers and places on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published in their report 'Registered Childcare Providers and Places, August 2008', which is available on their website
	www.Ofsted.gov.uk/.

Children: Day Care

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many nursery places for three and four year olds there were in Crosby constituency in  (a) 1996 and  (b) 2007; and what proportion of all three and four year olds in the constituency these figures represent in each year.

Beverley Hughes: All four year olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three year olds. Therefore, information prior to these years is not available.
	Information on the number of nursery places for three and four year olds is not collected centrally. The table provides information about the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four year olds in Crosby parliamentary constituency area in 2007.
	
		
			  Part-time equivalent number of free early education places( 1, 2 ) filled by three and four-year-olds:  p arliamentary constituency CrosbyPosition in January 2007 
			   3-year-olds  4-year-olds 
			   maintained nursery and primary schools( 3)  other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers( 4)  total 3 - year -  olds  maintained nursery and primary schools( 5)  other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers( 6)  total 4 - yea r- olds 
			 2007 280 350 630 540 130 670 
			 (1) A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1000 and to the nearest 10 otherwise. (3) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census. (4) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. The part-time equivalent is derived by counting children taking up 12 and a half hours per week as one place, 10 hours per week as 0.8 places, seven and a half hours per week as 0.6 places, five hours per week as 0.4 places and two and a half hours per week as 0.2 places. (5) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census. (6) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. The part-time equivalent is derived by counting children taking up 12 and a half hours per week as one place, 10 hours per week as 0.8 places, seven and a half hours per week as 0.6 places, five hours per week as 0.4 places and 2 and a half hours per week as 0.2 places. 
		
	
	Information on the proportion of all three and four year olds in the constituency is not available.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four year olds in England were published in Statistical First Release (SFR) 12/2008 Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2008, available on my Department's website
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s00079Q/index.shtml.

Children: Protection

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent arrangements have been made by his Department to support child protection in  (a) Leeds West constituency and  (b) Leeds City area.

Beverley Hughes: All local authorities are required to put in place robust arrangements to protect children, including a Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). Where a serious incident regarding safeguarding occurs, the LSCB will consider undertaking a Serious Case Review (SCR) to learn the lessons and improve practice. There are two SCRs under way in Leeds at present. In addition, three SCR reports have been completed this year and have been sent to Ofsted. As part of the SCR process, the LSCB is responsible for drawing up an action plan for discussion with the regional Government office.
	Ofsted undertake an Annual Performance Assessment (APA) of every area's children's services against the five Every Child Matters outcomes. The assessment against 'staying safe' in last year's APA for Leeds was that services were adequate. A copy of the full assessment can be found on Ofsted's website at
	www.ofsted.gov.uk.
	The APA results for 2008 are due to be published on 17 December 2008.
	Leeds local authority has also agreed with the Government office a Local Area Agreement which includes the following designated targets relevant to protecting children:
	NI 58 Behavioural and emotional health of looked after children
	NI 63 Stability of placements of looked after children: length of placements and
	NI 66 Looked after children cases which were reviewed within required timescales.
	It is not possible to provide separate information for Leeds West and Leeds City since safeguarding arrangements are planned and managed on a local authority wide basis.

Children's Centres: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many children's centres have been established in the London Borough of Enfield since 1997;
	(2)  how many Sure Start centres there are in the London Borough of Enfield; and how many children resident in that borough have used Sure Start.

Beverley Hughes: Enfield currently has 16 Sure Start Children's Centres with a further eight due to open by 2010, in order to provide universal coverage for children under five and their families.
	Information is not collected centrally on the number of children accessing the services offered by children's centres but on average we expect each centre to serve communities of around 800 children under five and their families.

Departmental Information Officers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many full-time equivalent press officers  (a) work and  (b) provide assistance for his Department.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The DCSF has 20 press officers of which one is part-time. There are no additional press officers providing assistance for the Department.

Departmental Internet

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for which Government websites his Department is responsible; how many visitors each received in the last period for which figures are available; and what the cost of maintaining each site was in that period.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department is responsible for a number of online services to a wide range of audiences including schools, their governors, local authorities, children's services, parents, young people and children, including online publications services. The Department is working towards consolidation of all its websites. Public-facing content is being migrated to Directgov and business content to Businesslink.
	The Department's services received just over 9.8 million unique visits from April to August 2008. During this period the Department spent 1,131,403.00 on these services.

Departmental Marketing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff in his Department are responsible for branding activity; and what the cost of employing such staff was in 2007-08.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has one full-time equivalent member of staff responsible for branding activity. They were employed at a cost of 44,109 in 2007-08.

Departmental NDPBs

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; and what budget each has been set for  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The DCSF has 12 Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), nine of which are Executive NDPBs and three are Advisory NDPBs. In summary, the remit of each NDPB is as follows:
	 Executive NDPBs
	British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA): is the government lead partner in the strategic development and delivery of the e-strategy. It influences the strategic direction and development of national education policy to take best advantage of technology. BECTA informs and influences education decisions by developing and disseminating high quality evidence of the progress and impact of technology in education, technology innovation and effective practice.
	Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS ): looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. It works with children and their families, and then advises the courts on what it considers to be in the best interests of individual children.
	Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC): improves the lives of children, young people, their families and carers by ensuring that all people working with them have the best possible training, qualifications, support and advice. It also helps children and young people's organisations and services to work together better so that the child is at the centre of all services.
	National College for School Leadership (NCSL) : works to make a difference to children's lives through excellent school leadership - growing and supporting current and future school leaders so that they can have a positive impact within and beyond their schools.
	Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC, also referred to as '11 Million'): looks after the interests and acts as the voice of children and young people.
	Partnership for Schools (PfS): supports the local delivery of the Department's 'Building Schools for the Future' programme (including Academies) to renew or rebuild every one of England's 3,500 state secondary schools.
	Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA): is committed to building a world-class education and training framework by regulating, developing and modernising the curriculum, assessments, examinations and qualifications.
	The School Food Trust (SFT) has a remit to transform school food and food skills, promote the education and health of children and young people and improve the quality of food in schools.
	Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA): works with schools to develop the workforce and ensure that schools can recruit good quality, well trained people. Supporting schools to provide extended services for parents, children and young people.
	 Advisory NDPBs
	The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TPIAG) advises the Government on the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and monitors its implementation. The Strategy aims to halve the rate of conceptions in under-18s by 2010 and to increase the participation of teenage parents in education, training and employment.
	School Teachers' Review Body (STRB): examines and reports on such matters relating to the statutory conditions of employment of school teachers in England and Wales as may from time to time be referred to it by the Secretary of State.
	Teachers' TV (TTV): provides a service to help head teachers, teachers, governors, teaching assistants, school support staff and other people who work in schools to deliver education to the highest possible standard. The Teachers' TV Board of Governors oversees the performance management of the channel to ensure it delivers value for money and meets audience needs.
	Details of the funding of DCSF's Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies were given to the hon. member on 22 October 2008,  Official Report column. 461W. For convenience, the funding details are reproduced in the following table. Some of these budgets are subject to change but are correct as at 17 November 2008.
	
		
			   million 
			  Executive Non-Departmental Public Body  2008-09  2009-10( 1)  2010-11( 1)  Total 
			 The British, Educational, Telecommunications and Technology Agency (BECTA) 11 11 11 33 
			 Children  Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) 113 122 131 366 
			 Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)(2) 53 4 4 61 
			 National College of School Leadership (NCSL) 98 82 82 262 
			 Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) 3 3 3 9 
			 Partnerships for Schools (PfS) 8 8 8 24 
			 Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) 176 110 113 399 
			 School Food Trust (SFT) 8 7 6 21 
			 Training and Development Agency for schools (TDA) 724 632 611 1,967 
			 (1) Planned funding, subject to confirmation. (2) CWDC was not included in the answer given on 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 461W. 
		
	
	The Advisory NDPBs incur little or no expenditure and are resourced from within the Department's existing budgets. As a result, information on budgets for 2008-11 are not readily available.

Departmental Publications

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 326-27W, on departmental publications, if he will place in the Library a copy of each of his Department's fortnightly e-mails sent to schools in September and October.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department will provide the Library with copies of the fortnightly e-mails sent to schools in September and October. These can also be found online at:
	http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/12380/index.htm

Departmental Written Questions

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many questions for written answer were tabled to his Department and its predecessors in Session  (a) 2002-03,  (b) 2003-04,  (c) 2004-05,  (d) 2005-06,  (e) 2006-07 and  (f) 2007-08 to date; and how many were (i) answered substantively and (ii) not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The number of written parliamentary questions received in each session since 2002-03 by this Department and its predecessor are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Session  Total number of written parliamentary questions tabled 
			 2002-03 3,668 
			 2003-04 4,231 
			 2004-05 1,571 
			 2005-06 6,980 
			 2006-07 5,020 
			 2007-08 (to date) 5,089 
		
	
	Information on how many questions received a substantive answer or were not answered on disproportionate cost grounds is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many applications for the education maintenance allowance have been received for the academic year 2008-09; and how many of them have been fully processed.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which operates the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and holds information about applications made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Putney with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  when the decision was taken to combine the administration of the education maintenance allowance with other adult learning grants; what the reasons for that decision were; who took the decision; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what  (a) grants and  (b) allowances are administered via the Learner Support Programme contracted to Liberata; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which operates the Learner Support programmes for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The LSC are responsible for the contract to deliver the helpline, assessment and payment function for the learner support programmes. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  which company has been contracted to run the Learner Support Programme in 2009; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that education maintenance allowance payments are made on time; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which operates the Learner Support programmes for the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people entitled to education maintenance allowance in 2008-09 have not yet received any payments; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Eligibility for the education maintenance allowance (EMA) is based on household income. The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not hold information on household income for every eligible 16 to 18-year-old who participates in a course that meets the EMA valid provision criteria. Therefore it is not possible to calculate the number of students who are entitled to EMA. With regard to EMA payments, this is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which operates the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold information about payments made under the EMA scheme.
	Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Telephone Services

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many calls were made to the learner support helpline for students claiming education maintenance allowance in each month since September 2007; and how many of them were  (a) answered and  (b) unanswered in each of those months:
	(2)  how many advisers were working on the learner support helpline for students claiming education maintenance allowance in each month since September 2007;
	(3)  what the cost for the contractor Liberata to staff the learner support helpline for students claiming education maintenance allowance was in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which operates the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and contract with Liberata to deliver the helpline, assessment and payment function for EMA. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the Hon. Member for Putney with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education: Crosby

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how much his Department's predecessor spent on education in Crosby constituency in 1997; and how much his Department has spent in 2008 to date;
	(2)  how much his Department plans to spend per school pupil in each local education authority in Crosby constituency in 2008-09; and how much was spent in each academic year since 1997-98.

Jim Knight: The Department allocates education funding to local authorities so the requested information for Crosby constituency is not available.
	Total and per pupil revenue funding figures for pupils aged 3-19 for Sefton local authority for years 1997-98 to 2005-06 are as follows. These figures are in real terms:
	
		
			  Sefton local authority revenue funding 
			   Total ( million)  Per pupil () 
			 1997-98 140.8 3,010 
			 1998-99 147.4 3,110 
			 1999-2000 154.1 3,240 
			 2000-01 169.0 3,540 
			 2001-02 178.7 3,730 
			 2002-03 183.8 3,860 
			 2003-04 192.7 4,040 
			 2004-05 196.3 4,180 
			 2005-06 201.2 4,380 
		
	
	The revenue per pupil figures shown in the following table are taken from the dedicated schools grant (DSG) which was introduced in April 2006. They are not comparable with those for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06 because the introduction of the DSG in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded.
	The 1997-98 to 2005-06 figures are based on Education Formula Spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. The DSG is based largely on an authority's previous spending. In addition, the DSG has a different coverage to EFS. EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions) whereas DSG only covers the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. Consequently, there is a break in the Department's time series as the two sets of data are not comparable.
	To provide a comparison for 2006-07 DSG, the Department have isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described above this does not represent the totality of 'education' funding in that year.
	The total and per pupil revenue funding figures for years 2005-06 to 2008-09 for Sefton local authority are provided in the following table. The following figures are for all funded pupils aged 3-19 and are in real terms:
	
		
			  Sefton local authority revenue funding 
			   Total ( million)  Per pupil () 
			 2005-06 (Baseline) 192,7 4,260 
			 2006-07 191.1 4,320 
			 2007-08 192.9 4,460 
			 2008-09 188.6 4,460

Education: Finance

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1585W, on education, how much funding has been allocated to each other miscellaneous programme in 2008-09.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The following table lists the programmes aggregated under the 'Other Miscellaneous' title and their corresponding projected allocations for 2008-09, as shown in the 2008 departmental annual report.
	
		
			  List of other miscellaneous programmes 
			million 
			  Schools  
			 Music and Dance Capital 34 
			 Medical Fees and Services 1 
			 Premature Retirement Compensation 12 
			 Teacher Development Agency 600 
			 National College for School Leadership 83 
			 Partnership for Schools 1 
			 Inclusion Programmes/Behaviour/Aim higher/Alternative provision 4 
			 Governors/Admissions/Independent State Schools/Travel Advisers/School Meals 5 
			 Teachers Pensions Contractual 1 
			 Partnerships and Federations 9 
			 Pupil attainment and assessment publications 1 
			 Gifted and Talented/Study Support/Playing for Success 32 
			 Curriculum 32 
			 Sport 22 
			 Total 837 
			   
			  Children and families  
			 LEA Capacity and Intervention 14 
			 Comms UnitCYPFD and SD 8 
			 CYPFD capital grants 7 
			 Children's Commissioner's Office 3 
			 Voluntary Community Sector CYPF Grant 1 
			 Adoption/Bichard Implementation Plan/Contact Point 2 
			 Parenting Fund 15 
			 Priority Fund 2 
			 S48 Inspection Grants 31 
			 Total 83 
			   
			  Young people  
			 Youth Challenge Fund 4 
			 NYA Grants 8 
			 Youth Facilities Capital 7 
			 Youth Sector Support 6 
			 Teenage Pregnancy/Substance Misuse 2 
			 Youth Capital Fund 71 
			 Youth Services 15 
			 Total 113 
			   
			  Support for All Functions  
			 Centre for Procurement Performance salary related costs 1 
			 Total 1

Foster Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1070W, on foster care, to which regulations the answer refers.

Beverley Hughes: The answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1070W, refers to Regulation 13, Regulation 28 and Schedule 5 of the Fostering Services Regulation 2002.

Further Education

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what surveys his Department has conducted to estimate the proportion of the school student population in  (a) the Vale of York and  (b) England which wishes to stay on in full-time education beyond GCSEs; and what the findings were of such surveys.

Beverley Hughes: The Department does not hold survey findings that provide robust estimates at constituency level. However, in addition to national estimates, there are estimates at local authority level. Ofsted have run a school-based survey called TellUs in 2008, covering school children in York and elsewhere across England. This study asked year 8 and 10 pupils (aged 12/13 and 14/15) what they hoped to do when they leave school. The results of this are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Get a Job at 16  Study and get a job at 18  Study and go to university  Something else  Do not know 
			 Tellus3 York 9 7 63 7 15 
			 Tellus3 average nationally 13 19 54 6 9 
			  Note: As insufficient year 10 responses were received from York the above figures from York relate to the responses of the year 8 pupils only. 
		
	
	There are a number of national surveys which have been conducted by the Department which have asked young people about their intentions after age 16. These surveys cannot give results at a sub-regional level. They are as follows:
	 Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE)
	In the first interview or 'wave' of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in EnglandLSYPE (spring 2004), sample members were asked at age 13/14 what their intentions were after Year 11. 78 per cent. of respondents said they intended to stay on in full-time education either at the school they were currently attending or somewhere else. LSYPE did not ask about intentions to other learning routes.
	 Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Pilots
	Various surveys of 21,500 young people who were in their final year of compulsory education in 1999 or 2000 were carried out for the evaluation of the EMA pilots. 78 per cent. of respondents said they wanted to stay in full-time education after age 16, 18 per cent. wanted to enter work or training and 4 per cent. were undecided or wanted something else.

Headteachers: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many head teachers were suspended from  (a) primary,  (b) secondary and (c) special schools in each local authority area in each of the last three years.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not held centrally.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of the proportion of their school time spent preparing for key stage 2 tests by children in year 6; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The National Assessment Agency (NAA), which is responsible for administering National Curriculum tests, advises schools to prepare their pupils for the tests by providing them with opportunities to familiarise themselves with the layout and design of past test papers, encouraging them to work independently and to be aware that there may be questions in the tests that they will not be able to answer. Head teachers have responsibility for deciding how much preparation pupils should have, but neither the Department nor the NAA recommend intensive preparation for the tests.
	Information about time spent on test preparation is not collected centrally.

Primary Education: Greater London

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has changed its estimates of the demand for primary school places in London for the next four years in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department's estimates on the demand for school places are based on data supplied by local authorities. The Department collects pupil projection data from local authorities on an annual basis, as part of the surplus places survey. This year's survey data, incorporating pupil projections made by local authorities in spring and summer 2008, were submitted to the Department in August 2008.

Primary Education: Greater London

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what capital allocations have been made for primary schools in each London borough for  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11,  (c) 2011-12 and  (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Capital allocations have been made to local authorities for each of the three years in the current spending review period 2008-09 to 2010-11. No allocation has been made for a future period.
	Apart from the Primary Capital programme, allocations at local authority level are not ring fenced according to type of school. Allocations can be prioritised by the local authority between primary and secondary schools.
	In addition to allocations at local authority level, each school receives an allocation of Devolved Formula Capital which it can spend directly. The annual rate for an unmodernised primary school is (a) a 18,500 lump sum, together with (b) a per pupil amount of 63. A modernised school receives 50 per cent. of these sums.
	The following table sets out capital allocations at local authority and school level in each London borough for  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11. Primary capital allocations are subject to local authorities agreeing their primary capital programmes for change with the Department.
	
		
			  School capital allocations 
			   
			   2009-10  2010-11 
			  Local authority  Total DFC allocation (indicative)  Primary capital programme  Other allocations  Total  Total DFC allocation (indicative)  Primary Capital programme  Other allocations  Total 
			 Inner London 45,414,857 55,906,443 104,598.100 206,919,400 45,414,857 87,820,443 104,610,840 237,846,140 
			  
			 Camden 2,884,603 3,503,019 6,162,353 12,549,975 2,884,603 5,881,019 6,062,530 14,828,152 
			 City of London 34,154 0 60,777 94,931 34,154 0 58,513 92,667 
			 Hackney 3,242,914 4,550,714 11,875,897 19,669,525 3,242,914 6,928,714 11,729,538 21,901,166 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,303,280 3,159,281 3,941,347 9,403,908 2,303,280 5,537,281 3,848,994 11,689,555 
			 Haringey 4,071,257 4^90,331 9.337,729 18,199,317 4,071,257 7,168,331 9,168,576 20,408,164 
			 Islington 2,915,407 4,051,004 6,127,440 13,093,851 2,915,407 6,429,004 6,047,153 15,391,564 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,497,064 3,000,000 2,508,627 7,005,691 1,497,064 5,378,000 2,435,842 9,310,906 
			 Lambeth 3,719,589 4,899,803 9,667,216 18,286,608 3,719,589 7,277,803 9,299,628 20,297,020 
			 Lewisham 4,356,535 4,360,768 12,988,083 21,705,386 4,356,535 6,738,768 13,001,291 24,096,594 
			 Newham 4,965,784 6,010,350 12,684,079 23,660,213 4,965,784 8,388,350 13,643,353 26,997,487 
			 Southwark 4,572,054 5,051,045 8,207,220 17,830,319 4.572,054 7,429,045 8,084.045 20,085,144 
			 Tower Hamlets 4,582,448 6,555,681 10,483,903 21.622,032 4,582,448 8,933,681 11,336,489 24,852,618 
			 Wandsworth 3,722,768 3,808,826 7,180,437 14,712,031 3,722,768 6,186,826 6,041,436 15,951,030 
			 Westminster 2,547,000 3,165,621 3,372,992 9,085,613 2,547,000 5,543,621 3,853,452 11.944,073 
			  
			 Outer London 80,993,338 72,707,382 187,579,995 341,280,715 80,993,338 117,889,382 241.893,443 440,776,163 
			  
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,369,591 3,740,824 12,360,071 19,470,486 3,369,591 6,118,824 11,905,515 21,393,930 
			 Barnet 5,706,792 4,303,116 15,047,247 25,057,155 5,706,792 6,681,116 18,815,722 31,203,630 
			 Bexley 4,445,932 3,031,746 7,368,424 14,846,102 4,445,932 5,409,746 11,214,145 21,069,823 
			 Brent 4,614,579 4,654,940 11.973,176 21.242,695 4,614,579 7,032,940 15,779,569 27,427,088 
			 Bromley 5,524,613 3,458,782 9,165,720 18,149.115 5,524,613 5,836,782 12,970.311 24,331,706 
			 Croydon 6,269,328 4,936,796 10,821,356 22,027,480 6,269,328 7,314,796 14,702,772 28,286,896 
			 Ealing 4,525,202 4,704,496 10,039,149 19,268.847 4,525,202 7,082,496 9,824,420 21,432,118 
			 Enfield 5,427,842 5,057,226 12,911,424 23,396,492 5,427,842 7,435,226 16,688,043 29,551,111 
			 Greenwich 4,230,814 4,652,049 12,691,605 21.574,468 4.230,814 7,030,049 13,413,192 24,674,055 
			 Harrow 3,156,920 3,395,479 9,137,916 15,690,315 3,156,920 5,773,479 12,966,237 21,896,636 
			 Havering 4,378,694 3,000,000 7,525,853 14,904,547 4,378,694 5,378,000 11,375,120 21,131,814 
			 Hillingdon 4,833,897 3,892,865 8,010,118 16,736,880 4,833,897 6,270,865 7,821,247 18,926.009 
			 Hounslow 4,330,717 3,632,895 10,432,833 18,396,445 4,330,717 6,010,895 14,288,231 24,629,843 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,596.989 3,000,000 6,782,104 12,379,093 2.596,989 5,378,000 10,736,950 18,711,939 
			 Merton 2,778.838 3,000,000 9,674,512 15,453,350 2,778,838 5,378,000 13,869,064 22,025,902 
			 Redbridge 4,799,801 4,004,563 12,563.869 21,368.233 4,799,801 6.382,563 16,371,798 27,554.162 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,379,699 3,000,000 5,695.236 11,074.935 2,379,699 5,378,000 9,589,743 17,347,442 
			 Sutton 3,630,936 3,000,000 6,804,622 13.435.558 3,630,936 5,378,000 10,691,576 19,700,512 
			 Waltham Forest 3.992,154 4,241,605 8,574.760 16,808,519 3.992.154 6,619,605 8,869.788 19,481,547 
			  
			 London total 126,408,195 129,613,825 292,178,095 548,200,115 126,408,195 205,709,825 346,504,283 678,622,303

Primary Education: Greater London

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what mechanisms there are by which London boroughs will receive additional capital allocations for primary schools in the next three years if new figures show an increase in demand for primary school places; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department relies on the accuracy of local authority forecasts when allocating basic-need capital funding for additional pupil places. Accordingly, and to ensure that local authorities can plan strategically, the 1.2 billion budget for basic-need funding was allocated to London and other authorities at the beginning of the spending review period covering the years 2008-09 to 2010-11 . This can be used, at local authorities' discretion, to expand primary or secondary schools. In addition, the Department is allocating some 1.9 billion to London and other authorities through its primary capital programme during this period, subject to local authorities agreeing their primary capital programmes for change with the Department.
	The Department does not hold back funds for later distribution on the basis that primary school pupil forecasts may be inaccurate. Accordingly, where new figures show that original forecasts were too low, local authorities have the flexibility to use their modernisation allocations to fund primary school expansion. They may also have access to other local resources.

Primary Education: Standards

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what element of Ofsted's regular inspection of primary schools covers  (a) history lessons and  (b) geography lessons.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 14 November 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	Since the introduction of the current school inspection framework (section 5) in September 2005, routine school inspections have not included specific inspection of subjects. However, under this framework, a sample of lessons will be visited during each inspection and these may include history and geography.
	As well as routine inspections of schools, Ofsted conducts annual surveys of each subject in the curriculum, inspecting a sample of schools to provide evidence for the survey report. This annual sample includes thirty primary schools where geography is inspected and thirty where history is inspected. Every three years Ofsted will then produce survey reports on history and geography. Most recently, Geography in schools  changing practice was published on 17 January 2008 and History in the balance was published on 20 July 2007. Both are available on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Pupils: Languages

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many schools in  (a) Tower Hamlets,  (b) Newham,  (c) Westminster,  (d) Brent and  (e) Hounslow were attended by more than 50 per cent. of pupils with a first language other than English in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many schools had more than 50 per cent. of pupils with a language other than English according to the last school census from which data are available.

Jim Knight: The requested information is shown in the table:
	
		
			  Number of schools which have more than 50 per cent. of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English1,2Position as at January 2008 
			   England  Tower Hamlets  Newham  Westminster  Brent  Hounslow 
			 More than 50 per cent. 1,476 70 73 41 56 36 
			 (1) Includes maintained nursery, maintained primary and maintained secondary, pupil referral units, city technology colleges, academies and all special schools. (2) Pupils of compulsory school age and above. Excludes dually registered pupils.  Source: School Census

Pupils: Special Educational Needs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps the Government has taken to assist schools in identifying children with learning difficulties.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Statutory guidance is given to schools, local authorities and others on identifying and making provision for children with special educational needs (SEN) in the SEN code of practice. Recent initiatives which will help teachers and schools to identify children with SEN now and in the future include:
	Dissemination of the first phase of the Inclusion Development Programme improving the skills of the early years and schools work force in identifying and meeting children's SEN, focusing on speech, language and communication needs and dyslexiafuture phases will focus on autism and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties;
	3.5 million of funding to the Training and Development Agency for Schools for the roll-out of SEN units in primary undergraduate and postgraduate certificate in education courses through eight clusters of training providersaround 8 million more will be spent over the next three years to embed SEN programmes in all teaching qualifications; and
	Helping to fund the British Dyslexia Association's dyslexia helpline for teachers and parents.

Racial Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been  (a) investigated and  (b) upheld in the last 12 months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: No complaints of racial abuse were investigated in the Department in the last 12 months. Formal complaints of racial abuse would be investigated quickly and thoroughly and, where complaints were upheld, appropriate disciplinary action would be taken. All cases are treated seriously.
	The Department believes that each and every individual has the right to be treated fairly, with dignity and respect. As such, we do not tolerate unacceptable behaviour towards others. The overall aim of our harassment and bullying policy is to prevent such unacceptable behaviour occurring but, where it does occur, to ensure that appropriate and effective action is taken to deal with it and prevent it happening again. This applies to everyone in the Department. Every individual is personally responsible for their own behaviour, and every manager is responsible for enforcing the policy in accordance with the guidance and procedures set out in the Department's Staff Handbook.

Reading: Teaching Methods

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 434-5W, on reading: teaching methods, what kinds of follow-up interventions children receive after the conclusion of intensive reading recovery programmes; what assessment his Department has made of the merits of using reading volunteers to continue intervention following the conclusion of intensive reading recovery programmes; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Our Every Child a Reader programme provides a 'layered' approach to early literacy intervention based on providing Reading Recovery teaching to the very lowest attaining children; supporting other adults to provide less intensive interventions for children whose difficulties are not so severe; and working with colleagues to support improved everyday class teaching of literacy. The less intensive interventions include Better Reading Partnership which trains, among others, volunteers to read 1-to-1 with children using techniques from Reading Recovery. These layers will apply equally to children who do not require Reading Recovery or those who have previously been through Reading Recovery and require some follow up support.
	In 2007, Greg Brooks, of Sheffield university, produced an updated version What Works for Children with Literacy Difficulties? The Effectiveness of Intervention Schemes. The review synthesised evidence on partnership approaches to improving reading: partners included older pupils, teachers, and adult volunteers. Brooks concluded that
	where resources are limited, and partners are available and can be given appropriate training and ongoing support, reading partnership approaches deserve close consideration (p29).
	The interventions reviewed by Brooks which specifically used adult volunteers were Better Reading Partnerships, ENABLE One-To- One and Time for Reading. There was some evidence that these interventions had a positive effect on pupil outcomes, although in some cases the findings were more mixed, and it is important to remember that the interventions often involved components other than the adult volunteers, which makes it hard to identify the specific effect of the volunteers.
	Separate to this Torgerson, King and Sowden (2002) conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials of adult volunteer reading schemes. Overall, volunteering appeared to have a small positive effect on pupil outcomes, but the evidence base was not sufficient to draw firm conclusions.
	The Government are committed to ensuring every child learns to read. For most this will mean good systematic phonics through the early years and beginning of primary school. For others, extra provision will be necessaryprimarily through school based interventions and our Every Child a Reader programme. We continue to fund local authorities and schools to strike the appropriate balance between specific intervention programmes with trained teachers for those children that need it; and other less expensive approaches using other members of the workforce and volunteers in other circumstances when they are known to work.

School Meals: Per Capita Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on average for each school meal for  (a) primary school pupils,  (b) secondary school pupils and  (c) juvenile offenders in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department does not collect this information.
	However, the School Food Trust has undertaken three annual surveys, which report average costs as follows:
	
		
			   
			   Primary  Secondary 
			  2005-06   
			 Price per meal 1.54 1.62 
			 Ingredient cost 0.52 0.67 
			 Labour cost 0.81 0.72 
			
			  2006-07   
			 Price per meal 1.63 1.72 
			 Ingredient cost 0.57 Not available 
			 Labour cost 1.09 Not available 
			
			  2007-08   
			 Price per meal 1.67 1.77 
			 Ingredient cost 0.62 Not available 
			 Labour cost 1.06 Not available 
		
	
	This Department does not collect this information for juvenile offenders.
	The Department is providing 240 million subsidy to local authorities between 2008 and 2011 towards the cost of producing school lunches.

Schools: Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools in Colchester constituency use temporary classrooms; and how many such classrooms are at each school.

Jim Knight: Data on school temporary buildings were supplied to the Department by local education authorities in 2001, 2003 and 2005. However, checks indicated that the completeness and quality of the data was not good enough to accurately assess which schools use temporary classrooms.
	Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under 700 million in 1996-97 to 6.7 billion in 2008-9 and will rise further to 8.0 billion by 2010-11. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock. The bulk of schools capital is now allocated by formula to authorities and schools so that they can address their local priorities, including the replacement of decayed temporary accommodation, on which we have set a high priority. Given the high levels of funding, authorities have the opportunity to replace temporary buildings where they are considered to be unsuitable.

Schools: Collective Worship

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the most recent guidance his Department has issued to state  (a) primary schools,  (b) secondary schools and  (c) further education establishments is on acts of collective worship; whether he plans to review such guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Current guidance on collective worship is contained in circular 1/94 which sets out the legal requirements for religious education and collective worship in primary and secondary maintained schools. There are no requirements for further education establishments to hold a daily act of collective worship. The Department has not issued schools with any recent guidance on collective worship. However, we have updated guidance to schools and Governors following the change in the law in 2007 to allow sixth formers to withdraw themselves from collective worship as set out in section 55 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

Schools: Collective Worship

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what obligations there are to provide for a daily act of collective worship upon state  (a) primary schools,  (b) secondary schools and  (c) further education establishments.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Current policy on collective worship is set out in Circular 1/94. All maintained schools must provide a daily act of collective worship, for all registered pupils. In schools without a religious character, this must be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian nature; while in schools with a religious character, collective worship may be in accordance with the tenets and practices of the religious designation of the school. This requirement was established in the Education Act 1944 and has been re-enacted in subsequent educational legislation. It is the duty of the head teacher to secure a daily act of collective worship. Duties are also placed on local authorities and governing bodies to exercise their functions with a view to securing the provision of collective worship.
	There are no requirements for further education establishments to hold a daily act of collective worship.

Schools: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have been  (a) built and  (b) refurbished in the London Borough of Enfield since 1997.

Jim Knight: In 2007, the Department gathered information from all authorities on the improvements to their school buildings over the previous 10 years. These data are summarised in the report 'School Building Investment Data', available in the parliamentary Libraries. The information supplied by Enfield indicated that it had built six new schools, four of which were additional schools, and had rebuilt over 50 per cent. of the floor area of a further three schools.

Schools: Equal Pay

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the amount  (a) central government,  (b) local government and  (c) schools have spent to enable schools in England to comply with (i) equal pay legislation and (ii) the local government single status agreement;
	(2)  how many schools in England have completed a job evaluation process for the purpose of compliance with  (a) equal pay legislation and  (b) the local government single status agreement; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such compliance to date.

Jim Knight: The process of implementing single status agreements and in some cases the payment of back pay in support to the agreements has been taking place over the past five years with authorities implementing single status agreements at different points over that period. Some authorities have still not completed the process or are still dealing with the legal processes associated with employment tribunals.
	The Department has not made any estimates of the amounts spent by themselves, local government or schools to enable them to implement the local government single status agreement, however the level of the minimum funding guarantee for schools for the three year settlement 2008-11 took into account cost pressures on schools including costs pressures arising from single status agreements. More details of this can be found on the Teachernet website:
	http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=12226
	We have not collected information on the number of schools that have undertaken job evaluation processes.

Schools: Finance

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the individual programmes and corresponding allocations are aggregated as Other Miscellaneous Programmes for the year 2008-09 in the Schools section of Table 8.3 of his Department's 2008 annual report.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Table 1 as follows lists the schools programmes aggregated under the other miscellaneous title and their corresponding projected allocations for 2008-09, as shown in the 2008 departmental annual report.
	
		
			  Table 1: List of other miscellaneous programmes 
			  Schools   million 
			 Music and Dance Capital 34 
			 Medical Fees and Services 1 
			 Premature Retirement Compensation 12 
			 Teacher Development Agency 600 
			 National College for School Leadership 83 
			 Partnership for Schools 1 
			 Inclusion Programmes/Behaviour/Aim higher/Alternative provision 4 
			 Governors/Admissions/Independent State Schools/Travel Advisers/School Meals 5 
			 Teachers Pensions Contractual 1 
			 Partnerships and Federations 9 
			 Pupil attainment and assessment publications 1 
			 Gifted and Talented/Study Support/Playing for Success 32 
			 Curriculum 32 
			 Sport 22 
			 Total 837

Schools: Inspections

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the maximum word limit is for an Ofsted inspection report on  (a) a primary school and  (b) a secondary school.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 13 November 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	There is no maximum word limit for Ofsted school inspection reports. Guidance to inspectors suggests that 2,000 words is an appropriate length for a standard inspection report, and 1,500 words for a light touch inspections. Inspectors may go beyond this guideline should the circumstances of the school require it.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Schools: Inspections

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reason Ofsted require learning objectives to be set and displayed at the start of lessons; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 13 November 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	Ofsted does not have any requirement for learning objectives to be displayed at the start of lessons. Ofsted inspections will evaluate whether teaching and learning is effective, but guidance to inspectors does not prescribe how teaching should be organised. It is for teachers and schools to decide how the objectives of the lesson should be shared with the learners, but inspectors would regard learners' secure understanding of a lesson's purpose as good practice.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Schools: Inspections

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his definition is of creative learning in the context of the inquiry into the subject being conducted by Ofsted.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 11 November 2008:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	As part of the 2008-2009 survey programme, Ofsted is undertaking a survey on creativity across the school curriculum. This survey encompasses a recommendation in the former Department for Education and Skills/Department for Culture, Media and Sport report Nurturing Creativity and the recommendations of the Education and Skills Select Committee's inquiry into Creative Partnerships and the Curriculum, published in October 2007.
	The survey relates to both primary and secondary schools. It uses the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education (NACCCE) May 1999 definition: 'Imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value and are purposeful.' The usefulness of that definition is being tested through observations of teaching and learning in a range of schools.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Schools: Noise

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps are being taken to ensure that acoustics in new school buildings are in compliance with building regulations to enable all children to listen and learn effectively, with particular reference to hearing-impaired children.

Jim Knight: All new school buildings must comply with the acoustic standards in Building Bulletin 93, Acoustic Design of Schools, 2003, which are quoted in Approved Document Part E in support of the Building Regulations. Building Control Bodies ensure that these standards are met. Section 6 of BB93 Acoustic design and equipment for pupils with special hearing requirements gives further guidance for children with hearing impairments. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires local authorities and governing bodies to make reasonable adjustments to schools to cater for the special needs of particular children. Therefore, for any new school, the local authority or governing body must assess the expected level of special needs of the children who will be attending the school and determine if any adjustments to the BB93 standards are required. This may require consultation with educational audiologists and acousticians. In particular, a lower reverberation time may be needed in rooms where the hearing-impaired are taught. There is a special needs appeal process and if the designs are not adequate for any particular children who will be attending the school then acoustic treatment may be required post construction.

Schools: Playing Fields

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make it his policy to ensure all school playing fields are accessible to young people outside school hours.

Jim Knight: We expect all schools to offer access to extended services by 2010. Currently over 14,400 schools (65 per cent.) are providing access to extended services.
	Extended schools provide a range of services and activities, often beyond the school day, to help meet the needs of children, their families and the wider community. What extended service provision looks like in practice will vary according to the needs of each community, based on consultation by schools.
	Extended schools are working with their local authorities to open up their facilities including playing fields and sports facilities in response to an assessment of local demand.
	Local authorities are a major partner in helping and supporting extended schools to provide services and facilities, and will be able to help take a strategic view of local needs and gaps in provision. Working with their partners in Children's Trusts they have a critical role in coordinating, commissioning and brokering services, and championing the needs of children, young people and parents. They must ensure that local extended service provision is joined up and meets the needs of the local community

Schools: Safety

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what consideration he has given to proposing road safety education as a compulsory aspect of the school curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Schools are well placed to contribute to road safety training and education by encouraging the development of risk assessment skills and of positive attitudes to road safety. Road safety is currently included in the non-statutory framework for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) at key stages 1 and 2, and at key stage 3 pupils should be taught to use knowledge and understanding to make informed choices about safety, health and well-being.
	The Department has asked head teacher Sir Alasdair Macdonald to conduct an independent review into how our intention to make PSHE education statutory can be taken forward in a practicable way.
	The Department's 2001 publication, Safety Education - Guidance for Schools, provides guidance on the provision of safety education, including road safety education. Free lesson plans for all key stages are available from the Department for Transport.

Schools: Transport

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what survey evidence his Department holds regarding the proportion of pupils who walk to school; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department does not hold complete data relating to walking as a mode of travel to school. Provision of this information is only compulsory for those schools with an approved school travel plan. The scope of collection includes: maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges, academies and special schools.
	In the spring 2007 school census, mode of travel data was supplied for almost 70 per cent. of pupils. In the spring 2008 school census, mode of travel data was supplied for just over 85 per cent. of pupils. The available walking information relating to maintained primary, state funded secondary and all special schools is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  LA maintained primary schools, state-funded secondary schools and all special schools: pupils by mode of travel( 1,2) Position in January each year, 2007 and 2008, England 
			   Maintained schools( 3)  State funded( 4,5)  All special schools 
			   2007  2008  2007  2008  2007  2008 
			   No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  % 
			 Walk 1,663,780 40.5 2,008,570 49.1 901,280 27.1 1,137,550 34.6 1,820 2.0 2,270 2.5 
			 Cycle 32,030 0.8 36,930 0.9 64,240 1.9 85,900 2.6 140 0.2 190 0.2 
			 Car/Van 1,089,770 26.5 1,258,550 30.8 358,080 10.8 452,190 13.7 3,560 4.0 4,920 5.5 
			 Car Share 88,640 2.2 113,280 2.8 41,750 1.3 60,060 1.8 190 0.2 260 0.3 
			 Public service bus 38,410 0.9 45,260 1.1 286,720 8.6 355,790 10.8 1,460 1.6 1,810 2.0 
			 Dedicated school bus 41,060 1.0 47,110 1.2 339,680 10.2 426,110 13.0 32,060 35.9 39,760 44.4 
			 Bus (type not known) 13,020 0.3 16,470 0.4 48,320 1.5 76,180 2.3 1,030 1.1 1,430 1.6 
			 Taxi 16,920 0.4 19,020 0.5 13,490 0.4 17,110 0.5 20,180 22.6 23,280 26.0 
			 Train 1,050 0.0 1,280 0.0 20,750 0.6 28,250 0.9 50 0.1 50 0.1 
			 London Underground 530 0.0 730 0.0 3,520 0.1 5,480 0.2 30 0.0 30 0.0 
			 Metro/Tram/Light Rail 570 0.0 670 0.0 2,800 0.1 3,220 0.1 10 0.0 0 0.0 
			 Boarding pupilnot applicable (5) 0.0 0 0.0 2,690 0.1 3,040 0.1 1,950 2.2 2,010 2.2 
			 Other 12,400 0.3 8,610 0.2 31,490 0.9 33,070 1.0 1,030 1.2 760 0.9 
			  
			 Mode of travelnot collected 1,109,510 27.0 531,320 13.0 1,206,740 36.3 605,060 18.4 25,900 29.0 12,730 14.2 
			  
			 Total 4,107,680 100.0 4,087,790 100.0 3,321,530 100.0 3,289,000 100.0 89,410 100.0 89,480 100.0 
			 (1) Excludes dually registered pupils. (2) Where a pupil uses more than one mode of travel for each journey to school, the longest element of the journey by distance should be recorded. (3) Includes middle schools as deemed. (4) Includes City Technology Colleges and Academies. (5) Less than 2.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census

Secondary Education: Admissions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils attended secondary schools in which there were  (a) over 1,000,  (b) over 1,500,  (c) over 2,000 and  (d) over 3,000 pupils in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  State-funded secondary schools( 1) : number of pupils by size of school( 2) position as at January 2008 
			  England 
			Number of: 
			   Total number of schools  Schools with 1,000 to 1,499 pupils  Pupils in schools with 1,000 to 1,499  Schools with 1,500 to 1,999  Pupils in schools with 1,500 to 1,999 pupils  Schools with 2,000 to 2,999 pupils  Pupils in schools with 2,000 to 2,999 pupils  Schools with 3,000 or more pupils  Pupils in schools with 3,000 or more pupils 
			 1997 3,584 1,019 1,215,690 132 218,010 6 12,650 0 0 
			 1998 3,582 1,028 1,230,220 146 241,110 6 12.670 0 0 
			 1999 3,575 1,084 1,295,450 169 278,210 6 12,790 0 0 
			 2000 3,565 1,149 1,379,020 188 311,740 7 14,900 0 0 
			 2001 3,496 1,202 1,448,720 215 358,840 8 17,120 0 0 
			 2002 3,471 1.236 1,491,860 227 377,980 13 27,990 0 0 
			 2003 3,454 1,259 1,522,740 257 427,470 14 30,260 0 0 
			 2004 3,435 1,291 1,569,260 251 418,520 21 44,610 0 0 
			 2005 3.416 1,300 1,575,830 262 436,920 20 43.240 0 0 
			 2006 3,405 1,297 1,574,770 260 435,140 21 45,090 0 0 
			 2007 3,399 1,272 1,540,980 267 445,980 22 47,540 0 0 
			 2008 3,383 1,229 1,488,770 263 439,520 25 53,600 0 0 
			 (1) Includes City Technology Colleges and Academies. (2) Excludes dually registered pupils.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census

Secondary Education: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many unfilled secondary school places there were in  (a) Bexley and  (b) Greater London on the latest date for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The Department collects data annually from each local authority on the number of surplus places which exist within maintained schools, as part of the Surplus Places Survey. The most recent data available relate to the position as at January 2008.
	At January 2008 the number of unfilled places in maintained secondary schools within Bexley was 1,462 (8 per cent.), and the number of unfilled places within Greater London was 32,132 (7 per cent.).

Secondary Schools: Health Education

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will publish the letter he sent in September together with the Secretary of State for Health to all secondary schools promoting the Give and Let Live donor education programme; and if he will specify  (a) the number of letters which were sent and  (b) the date on which the letters were sent.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: On 30 September 2008 a letter from the right hon. Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and the right hon. Secretary of State for Health about raising awareness of the Give and Let Live programme was made available on the Teachernet website and highlighted in an email sent to every secondary school.
	The letter can be accessed at the following web address:
	http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/doc/12949/Joint%20letter%20on%20organ%20donation%20in%20schools.pdf.

Special Educational Needs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of special educational needs pupils had behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The number and proportion of special educational needs pupils, whose primary need is behavioural, emotional or social, are shown in table 9 of the following publications.
	
		
			   Statistical First Release: special educational needs in England 
			 2008 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000794/SEN_NationalTablesFinal.xls 
			 2007 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000732/sfr20_2007_tables_oh.xls 
			 2006 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000661/SFR23-2006v2.pdf 
			 2005 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000584/SFR24-2005.pdf 
			 2004 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000537/SFR44-2004v4.pdf 
		
	
	The requested information was first collected in 2003, figures prior to 2004 are not readily available.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in year  (a) six,  (b) seven,  (c) eight and  (d) nine had statemented or non-statemented special educational needs of behavioural, emotional or social difficulties according to the most recent school census.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Information about pupils at School Action Plus and those pupils with a statement of SEN is provided in the following tables.
	We do not collect information on the number of pupils by type of need at School Action.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and all special schools: number and percentage of pupils with special educational needs of behavioural, emotional or social difficulties by national curriculum year group, position as at January 2008, England 
			   SEN pupils with special educational needs of behavioural, emotional or social difficulties( 1, 2) 
			   Primary schools( 3)  Secondary schools( 3, 4) 
			   School Action Plus  Statement of SEN  Total  School Action Plus  Statement of SEN  Total 
			  National curriculum year group  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6) 
			 Nursery Year 1 40 0.1 (7) 0.0 40 0.1 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 Nursery Year 2 670 1.3 20 0.3 690 1.2 (7) 0.0 0 0.0 (7) 0.0 
			 Reception 3,200 6.3 200 2.7 3,400 5.8 (7) 0.0 0 0.0 (7) 0.0 
			 1 5,570 10.9 450 6.2 6,010 10.3 10 0.0 0 0.0 10 0.0 
			 2 7,070 13.9 780 10.8 7,850 13.5 10 0.0 (7) 0.0 10 0.0 
			 3 7,960 15.6 1,060 14.6 9,010 15.5 10 0.0 0 0.0 10 0.0 
			 4 8,470 16.6 1,370 18.9 9,840 16.9 20 0.0 (7) 0.0 20 0.0 
			 5 8,630 16.9 1,490 20.6 10,120 17.4 310 0.5 50 0.5 360 0.5 
			 6 9,200 18.1 1,850 25.6 11,050 19.0 420 0.6 80 0.8 500 0.6 
			 7 120 0.2 30 0.3 140 0.2 9,570 14.2 1,930 18.5 11,500 14.8 
			 8 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 11,310 16.8 1,950 18.8 13,250 17.1 
			 9 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 13,500 20.1 2,110 20.3 15,610 20.1 
			 10 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 15,130 225 2,130 20.5 17,260 22.2 
			 11 0 0.0 (7) 0.0 (7) 0.0 15,850 23.6 1,920 18.5 17,770 22.9 
			 12 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 860 1.3 160 1.6 1,020 1.3 
			 13 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 270 0.4 50 0.5 320 0.4 
			 14 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 10 0.0 10 0.1 10 0.0 
			  0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 Unclassified(8) 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 Total 50,930 100.0 7,230 100.0 58,150 100.0 67,260 100.0 10,380 100.0 77,650 100.0 
		
	
	
		
			   SEN pupils with special educational needs of behavioural, emotional or social difficulties( 1, 2) 
			   All special schools( 5)  
			   School Action Plus  Statement of SEN  Total  School Action Plus 
			  National curriculum year group  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6)  No.  %( 6) 
			 Nursery Year 1 (7) 0.8 0 0.0 (7) 0.0 50 0.0 
			 Nursery Year 2 10 2.7 (7) 0.0 10 0.1 680 0.6 
			 Reception 10 3.5 20 0.2 30 0.2 3,210 2.7 
			 1 10 3.5 70 0.6 80 0.6 5,580 4.7 
			 2 10 2.7 150 1.2 160 1.2 7,090 6.0 
			 3 10 3.9 320 2.4 330 2.5 7,980 6.7 
			 4 20 6.2 550 4.3 570 4.3 8,500 7.2 
			 5 20 7.4 710 5.5 730 5.5 8,960 7.6 
			 6 20 8.1 960 7.4 980 7.4 9,640 8.1 
			 7 10 3.9 1.440 11.1 1,450 10.9 9,700 8.2 
			 8 10 3.5 1.750 13.5 1,760 13.3 11,310 9.6 
			 9 10 5.4 2,170 16.7 2,190 16.5 13,510 11.4 
			 10 40 13.6 2,310 17.8 2,340 17.7 15,170 12.8 
			 11 60 21.7 2,280 17.6 2,340 17.6 15,900 13.4 
			 12 20 8.5 90 0.7 120 0.9 880 0.7 
			 13 10 4.7 70 0.5 80 0.6 280 0.2 
			 14 0 0.0 30 0.2 30 0.2 10 0.0 
			 Unclassified(8) 0 0.0 60 0.5 60 0.5 0 0.0 
			 Total 260 100.0 12,990 100.0 13,240 100.0 118,440 100.0 
			 (1) Excludes dually registered pupils. (2) Pupils at school action plus and those pupils with a statement of SEN provided information on their primary need and, if appropriate, their secondary need. Information on primary need only is given here. (3) Includes middle schools as deemed. (4) Includes city technology colleges and academies (5) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (6) Number of pupils by their main need expressed as a percentage of all pupils at school action plus or with a statement of SEN. (7) Fewer than five, or a rate based on fewer than five. (8) Pupils for whom information on type of need is missing.  Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Special Educational Needs (Information) Act 2008

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he plans to take to implement the Special Educational Needs (Information) Act 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has commissioned a project, using independent advisers, on the most effective way to implement the Act. The project will: analyse users' data requirements, including the requirements of parents and voluntary organisations; determine data and information currently available at national and local level; and evaluate options for the data publication. The Department will consider the findings of the project, which will be completed before the end of this year. The Act's provisions commence on 1 January 2009 and the first publication will be later that year.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what timetable he has set for implementation of changes to the procedures for the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal;
	(2)  what guidance his Department has issued on the application of the rules governing the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal; and to whom it has been issued.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) was transferred from the then Department for Education and Skills to the then Department for Constitutional Affairs on 3 April 2006. It became part of the Tribunals Service, an Executive Agency of the current Ministry of Justice.
	On 3 November SENDIST transferred into the Health, Education and Social Care Chamber (HESC) of the new First-tier Tribunal. Cases registered before 3 November will continue to be handled under the old Regulations. The 'Rules' for the HESC will apply to cases registered after 3 November. The Tribunal estimates that the earliest substantive appeal hearings for these cases will take place in mid-March.
	The guidance SENDIST published on how to make an appeal in special educational needs cases or to make a claim in disability discrimination cases is being revised and the 'frequently asked questions' is being updated on their website. An appeal/review flow chart will also be produced. The Department for Children, Schools and Families has not produced separate guidance.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what targets have been set for the effectiveness of the new diplomas; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: No targets have been set for the Diploma. We are committed to fully evaluating each phase of the Diploma to assess how effectively it has been implemented and the impact it is having on the participation and achievement of young people. Delivery of the Diploma will also be subject to independent inspection by Ofsted.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on developing a general diploma in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: There has been no specific development work done on a general diploma. The 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper in 2005, envisaged introducing a general (GCSE) diploma to recognise the achievement of 5 A*-C GCSEs including English and mathematics. It was anticipated that this would be introduced for those starting GCSE programmes in September 2009.
	However, we anticipate that the expansion of the Diploma programme which was announced last October will offer a more comprehensive alternative to recognise the broad achievement of young people at that level. A decision was therefore taken at that time not to pursue the general diploma further.

Specialised Diplomas: Rural Areas

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the issues arising from the offering of diploma courses in rural areas.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We have set out our assessments in Delivering 14-19 Reforms in Rural Areas which we published on 30 June 2008. This report shows that rural and semi-rural areas face a particular set of challenges. We are committed to supporting these areas to overcome the challenges they face and know that many rural areas are already deploying a range of innovative solutions to ensure that young people get access to 14-19 provision.

Supply Teachers: Yorkshire and the Humber

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much each local authority area in Yorkshire and the Humber spent on supply teachers in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The available information on the gross expenditure by local authority maintained schools on supply teachers from 2003-04 to 2007-08 is contained within the table:
	
		
			  Total gross expenditure by local authority maintained schools on supply teachers 
			   
			  Local Authority  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  England 833,390,000 820,780,000 886,783,000 872,039,000 908,903,000 
			   
			  Yorkshire and Humberside 89,194,000 89,440,000 94,015,000 90,855,000 94,825,000 
			 Barnsley 3,994,000 4,514,000 5.078,000 4,464,000 4,868,000 
			 Bradford 11,409,000 11,313,000 11,236,000 10,818,000 11,755,000 
			 Calderdale 4,055,000 3,861,000 4,022,000 4,071,000 4,183,000 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 4,918,000 4,390,000 4,914,000 4,687,000 4,455,000 
			 Doncaster 5,016,000 5,246,000 5.378,000 5,123,000 5,184,000 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 4,636,000 4,672,000 5,007,000 4,603,000 5,014,000 
			 Kirklees 5,586,000 5,683,000 6,473,000 6,901,000 7,285,000 
			 Leeds 12,276,000 12,101,000 12,954,000 12,026,000 12,031,000 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2,923,000 2,862,000 2,688,000 2,992,000 2,868,000 
			 North Lincolnshire 2,709,000 2,549,000 2,865,000 2,471,000 2,572,000 
			 North Yorkshire 9,888,000 9,851,000 10,914,000 11,456,000 12,031,000 
			 Rotherham 6,298,000 5,938,000 5,110,000 5,003,000 5,206,000 
			 Sheffield 9,447,000 9,673,000 10,059,000 8,964,000 9,856,000 
			 Wakefield 3,622,000 4,223,000 4,369,000 4,737,000 4,963,000 
			 York 2,418,000 2,566,000 2,949,000 2,539,000 2,554,000

Sure Start Programme

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people have used Sure Start services in the last 12 months.

Beverley Hughes: The Department does not hold information centrally on how many people have used Sure Start services in the last 12 months.
	There are currently over 2,900 children's centres offering access to services for over 2.3 million children under five and their families. Further centres are planned so that by 2010 all families with young children will have easy access to the wide range of early childhood services on offer.

Sure Start Programme: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) children and  (b) families in (i) City of York constituency and (ii) the City of York local authority area have participated in the Sure Start York local programme.

Beverley Hughes: The Department does not hold information centrally on how many children and families in the City of York constituency or the City of York local authority have participated in Sure Start Children's Centres services.
	Sure Start Children's Centres offer a wide range of services to children aged under five years and their families including health and family support services, advice and information for parents on employment and training, and integrated early learning and child care services. York currently has eight children's centres up and running offering services to over 6,000 children under five and their families. One further centre is planned by 2010 to ensure all families with young children in York will have easy access to the wide range of early childhood services on offer.

Teachers

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many full-time equivalent  (a) teachers,  (b) teaching assistants and  (c) support staff there were in local education authority schools in (i) Hemel Hempstead, (ii) Hertfordshire and (iii) England in (A) 1997 and (B) the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers, teaching assistants and support staff employed in local authority maintained schools in Hemel Hempstead constituency, Hertfordshire local authority and England, January 1997 and 2008.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent teachers,( 1)  teaching assistants( 2)  and support staff( 3)  in local authority maintained schools; years 1997 and 2008coverage: Hemel Hempstead constituency, Hertfordshire local authority and England 
			   Hemel Hempstead  Hertfordshire  England 
			  January  Teachers( 4)  Teaching assistants( 4)  Support  s taff( 4)  Teachers( 5)  Teaching assistants( 4)  Support  s taff( 4)  Teachers( 5)  Teaching assistants( 4)  Support  s taff( 4) 
			 1997 800 100 300 9,000 1,100 3,100 399,200 60,600 133,500 
			 2008 900 400 700 10,400 3,400 6,700 434,900 175,700 322,400 
			 (1) Includes qualified and unqualified teachers. (2) 'Teaching assistants' include teaching assistants, special needs support staff and minority ethnic pupil support staff. (3) Includes teaching assistants. (4) Source: School Census. (5) Source: Annual Survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies, 618g.  Notes: 1. Excludes academies and city technology colleges. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.

Teachers: East Midlands

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) teachers and  (b) teaching assistants were employed in the East Midlands in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) each of the preceding five years.

Jim Knight: The number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in the local authority maintained sector in the east midlands in 2007, and each of the preceding five years are shown in the following Statistical First Release: School Workforce in England (including pupil: teacher ratios and pupil: adult ratios), January 2007 (Revised)
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000743/index.shtml
	Table 18 Full-time equivalent regular teachers (excluding occasionals) in the local authority maintained sector by local authority and Government office region.
	Table 24 Full-time equivalent teaching assistants in local authority maintained schools by local authorities and Government office regions.
	Also more recent information has been published and can be found at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000813/index.shtml.

Teachers: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) teachers and  (b) teaching assistants were working in Enfield North constituency in each year since 1997; and how many of each have worked there in total since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the number of full-time equivalent teachers and teaching assistants employed in local authority maintained schools in Enfield, North constituency and England in each January since 1997 to 2008.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent teachers( 1)  and teaching assistants( 2)  in local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special and pupil referral units. Years: 1997 to 2008. Coverage: Enfield, North constituency and England 
			   Enfield, North constituency  England 
			  January of each year  Teachers( 3)  Teaching assistants( 3)  Teachers( 4,5)  assistants( 3) 
			 1997 990 110 399,180 60,580 
			 1998 990 140 397,660 65,540 
			 1999 1,000 140 401,160 69,600 
			 2000 1,010 210 404,630 79,020 
			 2001 1,040 250 410,180 94,990 
			 2002 1,090 330 419,630 105,360 
			 2003 1,090 360 423,600 121,190 
			 2004 1,110 400 427,670 132,060 
			 2005 1,150 430 431,880 147,000 
			 2006 1,180 470 435,550 153,100 
			 2007 1,190 510 435,230 162,990 
			 2008 1,200 550 434,870 175,660 
			 (1) Includes qualified and unqualified teachers. (2) 'Teaching assistants' include teaching assistants, special needs support staff and minority ethnic pupil support staff. (3) Source: School Census (4) Source: Annual Survey of Teacher in Service and Teacher Vacancies, 618g. (5) England teacher figures in this answer are derived from the Department's preferred data source, the Annual Survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies, 618g. Figures in a previous answer (PQ233896) were derived from the Census and therefore differ.  Notes: 1. Excludes academies and city technology colleges. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Teachers: Pay

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether national challenge schools may pay higher salaries to teaching staff than other maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document provides National Challenge as well as all maintained schools with a range of pay flexibilities and incentives to support the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers. An extra 400 million has been made available to support National Challenge schools over the next three years, in tailored packages of support, which in some cases include funding to help schools with recruitment incentives.

Teachers: Qualifications

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many overseas trained teachers lost their jobs from state schools because they had not attained qualified teacher status within four years by September 2008, broken down by subject taught.

Jim Knight: The requested data are not available centrally.

Teachers: Sick Leave

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of full-time teachers in Yorkshire and the Humber took sick leave in each of the last five years; what the average annual rate was; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not available. However, the available information on full-time teacher sickness absence has been published in the following Statistical First Releases:
	School Workforce in England (including Local Authority level figures), January 2008 (Revised)(2007 figures can be found in table 24)
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000813/index.shtml
	School Workforce in England (including pupil: teacher ratios and pupil: adult ratios), January 2007 (Revised)(2006 figures can be found in table 14)
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000743/index.shtml
	School Workforce in England (including pupil: teacher ratios and pupil: adult ratios), January 2006 (Revised)(2005 figures can be found in table 16)
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000681/index.shtml
	School Workforce in England: Provisional Teacher Sickness Absence in 2004 and Teacher Ethnicity 2005(2004 figures can be found in table 3)
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000578/index.shtml
	School Workforce in England: Provisional Teacher Sickness Absence in 2003 and Teacher Ethnicity 2004(2003 figures can be found in table 3)
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000466/index.shtml

Teachers: Training

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of those who enrolled as teacher trainees in each year since 1997 were teachers three years after enrolment.

Jim Knight: Information tracking those who enrol as teacher trainees through to them starting teaching is not held centrally.
	The following table shows the number of final year initial teacher training (ITT) trainees for each academic year between 1998/99 and 2006/07 who gained qualified teacher status (QTS) in their final year of training and of these the number who were known to be in a teaching post six months after gaining QTS for mainstream initial teacher training (ITT) trainees. Information is not available for 1997/98 in a consistent format.
	
		
			  Mainstream final year ITT trainees 
			  Academic year  Total number of mainstream trainees in their final year  Number of mainstream final year trainees gaining QTS( 1)  Number of final year trainees who gained QTS and are known to be in a teaching post 6 months after gaining QTS( 2, 3)  Proportion of mainstream final year trainees who gain QTS (percentage)  Proportion of mainstream final year trainees gaining QTS who are known to be in a teaching post 6 months after gaining QTS (percentage) 
			 1998/99 27,200 24,070 19,240 88 80 
			 1999/2000 24,650 21,690 17,800 88 82 
			 2000/01 25,720 22,640 18,940 88 84 
			 2001/02 26,350 23,280 19,660 88 84 
			 2002/03 28,570 25,430 20,150 89 79 
			 2003/04 30,970 27,340 21,820 88 80 
			 2004/05 31,360 27,150 21,960 87 81 
			 2005/06 31,220 27,010 21,960 87 81 
			 2006/07 31,350 26,980 22,100 86 82 
			 (1 )Those who failed to gain QTS include those who are yet to complete their course, those who left before the end of their course, those who had their QTS withheld, those who have not taken the skills test and those with an unknown outcome. (2 )Those in a teaching post six months after gaining QTS include those in maintained schools, non-maintained schools and where the sector is unknown (3 )Those who are not in a teaching post six months after gaining QTS include those who are seeking a teaching post, those who are not seeking a teaching post and those with an unknown destination.  Notes: 1. Includes trainees from universities and other higher education (HE) institutions, school centred initial teacher training (SCITT) and open universities (OU), but exclude employment based routes (EBR). 2. Numbers are individually rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  TDA performance profiles. 
		
	
	The following table shows the number of final year initial teacher training (ITT) trainees for each academic year between 2001/02 and 2006/07 who gained qualified teacher status (QTS) in their final year of training for employment based routes (EBR) trainees. Information relating to the number of trainees gaining QTS through employment based routes was only collected from 2001/02 onwards and the employment status of trainees through EBR is not collected.
	
		
			  Employment based routes (EBR) final year ITT trainees 
			  Academic year  Total number of EBR trainees in their final year  Number of EBR final year trainees gaining QTS( 1)  Proportion of EBR final year trainees who gain QTS (percentage) 
			 2001/02 2,440 2,210 91 
			 2002/03 4,030 3,670 91 
			 2003/04 4,950 4,470 90 
			 2004/05 7,220 6,600 91 
			 2005/06 6,970 6,090 87 
			 2006/07 7,840 7,120 91 
			 (1 )Those who failed to gain QTS include those who are yet to complete their course, those who left before the end of their course, those who had their QTS withheld, those who have not taken the skills test and those with an unknown outcome.  Notes: 1. Includes trainees through employment based routes (EBR) only. 2. Numbers are individually rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  TDA performance profiles. 
		
	
	The following table shows the proportion of full and part-time teachers in maintained schools who were still teaching in the maintained sector three years after gaining QTS, by the year which they gained QTS.
	
		
			  Percentage of full and part-time( 1)  teachers that qualified in a particular year and were still in service in the maintained sector in England three years later 
			  Year qualified( 2)  First year in service( 3)  Percentage in full or part-time service three years later 
			 1997 1997-98 79 
			 1998 1998-99 79 
			 1999 1999-2000 79 
			 2000 2000-01 80 
			 2001 2001-02 81 
			 2002 2002-03 82 
			 2003(4) 2003-04 81 
			 (1 )Teachers in part-time service are under-recorded on the DTR by between 10 and 20 per cent. and therefore these figures may be slightly underestimated. (2 )Calendar year in which the teachers qualified. (3 )Financial year during which the teachers entered service. (4 )Provisional.  Source:  Database of Teacher Records (DTR)

Young People: Disability

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he has taken to implement part 3.11 of the Ten Year Youth Strategy to increase participation in activities among disabled young people.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Empowering all young people to have genuine influence over local activities is crucial to increasing their participation. The commitments in Aiming High for Young People are designed to support all young people but with extra focus for those who need it most, such as those with disabilities, so that all can participate in a meaningful way.
	Commitments include the continuation of the Youth Opportunity and Capital Funds, through which young people make decisions about new provision, until at least 2011. A recently published evaluation of the Funds over their first two years, 2006-08, concluded that local authorities had generally been successful in engaging young people with disabilities, both as decision makers and applicants.
	This drive to increase participation is being complemented by the transformation of short break provision signalled in Aiming High for Disabled Children. 269 million is being provided by DCSF to local authorities in England over the 2008-11 period to improve radically access for children and young people to breaksincluding those which promote personal and social development through positive activities.

Young People: Suicide

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of suicides of people aged 16 years or under in which bullying was a factor in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department does not collect this information centrally. We take bullying very seriously and it is compulsory for schools to have a policy in place to prevent and tackle bullying. We are aware that many external studies link being bullied to outcomes such as anxiety, depression, low self esteem and, in some extreme cases, suicide. The findings of these studies have informed the content of our 'Safe to Learn' anti-bullying guidance and our wider work to prevent and tackle bullying in schools.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

African Springboard Initiative

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent steps have been taken by the African Springboard Initiative; what assessment he has made of its progress; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The African Springboard has been renamed 'Africarbon'this name was suggested and chosen by the existing partners and to satisfy legal obligations. Africarbon has been registered as a UK limited liability company and a website has been developed. We hope that a CEO will be recruited by spring 2009 and Africarbon will be formally launched.
	A Business Plan has been developed and firm financial and in-kind commitments have been offered by partners.
	The Secretary of State will launch Africarbon in spring next year with the new CEO and would be happy to make a statement at that time.

Carbon Emissions

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the level of carbon dioxide emissions from the UK in each year since 1990,  (a) broken down by sector and  (b) in respect of (i) aviation and (ii) shipping.

Joan Ruddock: Estimated UK carbon dioxide emissions by year over this period are published as National Statistics. The latest year for which data are available is 2006. The headline results from 1990 to 2006 and sectoral breakdowns for each year can be found on the website of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website.
	 (a) Two breakdowns are published for each year: by source and by end-user. The former breakdown is based on the sector where the emissions actually occurred; the latter breakdown reallocates these same emissions in accordance with where the end-use actually occurred. This effectively re-allocates emissions from energy supply to, for example, household and business energy usage.
	The tables provide both breakdowns over the period in question, based on National Communications sectors, which are the basis for UK Government reporting.
	 (b) Emissions from domestic aviation and shipping over the period are also shown in the tables; both the source and end-source breakdowns are shown, also based on National Communications sectors.
	Emissions from international aviation and shipping can only be estimated from refuelling from bunkers at UK airports and ports, whether by UK or non-UK operators. These are recorded as memo items in the UK's Greenhouse Gas Inventory, as reported by DEFRA to the UNFCCC, but do not count towards national totals. This is because there is no agreement on how, or whether, to allocate emissions from these sources to individual countries.
	The following tables provide figures for both international aviation and shipping over the period in question. Since these items are only included in our UNFCCC reporting, they are based on sectors as defined for this purpose by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
	
		
			  Carbon dioxide emissions by source sector: 1990-2006 
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC  c ategory  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999 
			 Energy Supply 242.3 241.5 230.7 213.3 209.0 207.5 209.3 195.0 199.0 189.3 
			 Business 108.9 110.8 106.6 106.5 106.8 103.7 105.9 104.1 103.1 104.1 
			 Transport 122.5 120.9 121.9 123.2 123.2 122.1 126.8 128.1 126.9 127.6 
			 Public 13.5 14.4 15.0 13.7 13.4 13.2 14.2 13.8 12.6 12.4 
			 Residential 79.8 88.4 85.9 89.8 85.5 81.1 92.3 85.2 87.2 86.3 
			 Agriculture 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4 5.2 5.0 5.0 
			 Industrial Process 16.3 14.0 13.3 13.2 14.4 14.9 15.4 15.6 15.6 15.4 
			 Land Use Change 2.9 2.8 2.2 1.1 0.8 1.2 0.9 0.6 0.0 -0.3 
			 Waste Management 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.5 0.5 0.5 
			 Grand total 592.4 599.1 582.0 567.1 559.3 549.8 571.0 548.1 549.9 540.3 
		
	
	
		
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC category  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Energy Supply 199.8 209.8 207.9 215.9 214.7 217.6 220.8 
			 Business 104.2 104.1 93.7 95.3 93.3 93.4 91.9 
			 Transport 126.6 126.2 128.4 129.2 130.7 131.9 133.5 
			 Public 11.7 12.1 10.3 10.1 11.1 10.9 10.5 
			 Residential 87.0 89.2 85.9 86.8 88.4 84.6 81.3 
			 Agriculture 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.7 4.6 4.5 4.3 
			 Industrial Process 14.7 13.4 12.4 13.4 13.8 13.9 13.9 
			 Land Use Change -0.4 -0.6 -1.1 -1.2 -1.9 -2.1 -2.0 
			 Waste Management 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 
			 Grand total 548.6 559.4 542.7 554.7 555.1 555.2 554.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Carbon dioxide emissions by end-user sector: 1990-2006 
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC category  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999 
			 Business 227.5 224.8 211.2 204.0 201.0 197.6 199.0 192.0 191.9 189.1 
			 Transport 140.6 138.6 140.4 142.5 142.8 142.7 148.0 148.7 147.3 147.8 
			 Public 29.2 32.2 33.8 27.8 27.5 26.6 27.5 25.1 23.9 23.1 
			 Residential 155.7 165.4 159.1 155.3 150.0 143.5 155.6 141.0 146.7 142.2 
			 Agriculture 8.8 8.8 8.6 8.4 8.3 8.2 8.2 7.9 7.8 7.6 
			 Industrial Process 17.3 15.1 14.4 14.3 15.4 15.8 16.5 16.7 16.6 16.4 
			 Land Use Change 2.9 2.8 2.2 1.1 0.8 1.2 0.9 0.6 0.0 -0.3 
			 Waste Management 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.5 0.5 0.5 
			 Exports 9.3 10.2 11.1 12.6 12.5 13.3 14.5 15.7 15.2 13.9 
			 Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Grand total 592.4 599.1 582.0 567.1 559.3 549.8 571.0 548.1 549.9 540.3 
		
	
	
		
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC category  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Business 196.4 201.6 188.5 195.0 192.7 194.6 197.4 
			 Transport 146.7 146.5 150.2 150.6 150.5 152.2 151.5 
			 Public 22.3 23.1 20.7 20.8 21.6 21.6 21.5 
			 Residential 146.8 153.6 148.2 151.7 152.9 149.5 149.0 
			 Agriculture 7.3 7.6 7.6 7.5 7.4 7.2 7.1 
			 Industrial Process 15.6 14.1 13.1 13.9 14.2 14.2 14.4 
			 Land Use Change -0.4 -0.6 -1.1 -1.2 -1.9 -2.1 -2.0 
			 Waste Management 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 
			 Exports 13.4 12.9 15.1 15.9 17.2 17.5 15.2 
			 Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Grand total 548.6 559.4 542.7 554.7 555.1 555.2 554.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Carbon dioxide emissions from domestic aviation and shipping: by source sector, 1990-2006 
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC category  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999 
			 Aviation 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.7 
			 Shipping 4.1 4.3 4.1 4.1 3.8 3.7 4.0 3.8 3.6 3.2 
		
	
	
		
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC category  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Aviation 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.4 2.3 
			 Shipping 3.1 2.6 2.2 3.7 3.7 4.2 5.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Carbon dioxide emissions from domestic aviation and shipping: by end-user sector, 1990-2006 
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC category  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999 
			 Aviation 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.8 2.0 
			 Shipping 4.7 4.8 4.7 4.6 4.3 4.2 4.5 4.4 4.1 3.7 
		
	
	continued
	
		
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  NC category  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Aviation 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.7 2.6 
			 Shipping 3.6 3.0 2.5 4.3 4.2 4.7 6.1 
		
	
	
		
			  Carbon dioxide emissions from international aviation and shipping: 1990-2006 
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  IPCC category  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999 
			 International bunkersAviation (Landing and take off) 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.8 2.0 
			 International bunkersAviation (Cruise) 14.5 14.3 15.8 16.8 17.6 18.7 19.9 21.2 23.5 25.6 
			 International bunkersAircraft Engines 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 International bunkersAviation total 15.7 15.5 17.1 18.3 19.0 20.2 21.4 22.8 25.3 27.5 
			 International bunkersNavigation 6.7 6.5 6.7 6.7 6.2 6.7 7.3 8.2 9.0 6.5 
		
	
	
		
			  million tonnes of CO 2 
			  IPCC category  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 International bunkersAviation (Landing and take off) 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 
			 International bunkersAviation (Cruise) 28.2 27.5 27.0 27.6 30.3 32.7 33.2 
			 International bunkersAircraft Engines 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 International bunkersAviation total 30.3 29.6 29.0 29.7 32.5 35.1 35.6 
			 International bunkersNavigation 5.7 6.4 5.3 5.1 5.9 5.9 6.8

Carbon Emissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment his Department has made of progress towards achieving the goal for the UK to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. on 1990 levels by 2010.

Joan Ruddock: Our domestic goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010, which was always designed to be stretching, looks increasingly difficult to achieve. But we are making definite progress towards it and the projected reduction in CO2 emissions of about 15 per cent. by 2010, including the impact of the EU emissions trading scheme, is testimony to that progress.
	The Climate Change Bill requires the independent Committee on Climate Change to advise the Government on whether their advice on the level of the 2008-12 budget, which we will receive on 1 December, is consistent with a 20 per cent. cut in CO2 emissions by 2010.

Carbon Emissions: Housing

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received on the effectiveness of the Home Carbon Saver scheme, operated by Energy Services; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Home Carbon Saver is a private company that offers paid-for energy services. DECC has not made any assessment of the company.

Carbon Emissions: Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what  (a) Civil Service support and  (b) office space will be given to the special representative on carbon trading; and what expenses the representative will be able to claim.

Joan Ruddock: The special representative on carbon markets, my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mark Lazarowicz), reports to the Prime Minister through the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the Financial Services Secretary. The representative receives support from Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) officials and officials in HM Treasury. He is entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses for any overseas trips made in his capacity as special representative.

Coal

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many tonnes of coal were produced in the UK in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The following table shows published figures on UK coal production for the last five years.
	
		
			  Thousand tonnes 
			   Deep-mined production  Opencast production  Total production( 1) 
			 2003 15,633 12,126 27,759 
			 2004 12,542 11,993 24,535 
			 2005 9,563 10,445 20,008 
			 2006 9,444 8,635 18,079 
			 2007 7,674 8,866 16,540 
			 (1) These figures exclude estimates of slurry recovered from ponds, dumps, rivers etc. Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2008, Table 2.7

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what offices  (a) in London and  (b) outside London are used by his Department and its agencies; and what the size is of the floor area of each.

Mike O'Brien: DECC intends to locate all its London staff at 3 Whitehall place. Its floor area is 5,899 square metres. Atholl house in Aberdeen has a floor space used by DECC of 1,594.14 square metres. Until discussions on the detail of machinery of government changes following the creation of DECC have been concluded, it is not possible to provide a fuller answer on DECC's agencies.

Departmental Consultants

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many consultants are employed by his Department.

Mike O'Brien: DECC employs no consultants and has no consultancy contracts of its own. Once the Machinery of Government settlement with BERR and DEFRA is complete, we will be in a position to provide a fuller answer.

Departmental Consultants

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with which consultancy firms his Department has contracts; and what the value of each such contract is.

Mike O'Brien: DECC has employed no consultants and has no consultancy contracts of its own. Once the Machinery of Government settlement with BERR and DEFRA is complete, we will be in a position to provide a fuller answer.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what IT projects  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (i) the cost and (ii) the completion date of each is.

Mike O'Brien: The IT projects which are being undertaken within DECC are:
	North Sea Licensingestablishing an offshore register equivalent to the onshore Land Registry. Cost is 250,000 to 300,000 and will be finished in summer 2009.
	Electricity Portal for electricity consents. Cost approximately 350,000 and will be live in early 2009.
	Environmental emissions monitoring database, as joint project with oil industry, to capture data and report for Kyoto. The cost is expected to be 250,000 and will be complete by spring 2010.
	The full list of agencies that will be the responsibility of the Department will be published in due course.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much was spent on overnight accommodation by his Department's civil servants since its establishment.

Mike O'Brien: According to the most recent records, 66,073 has been spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) since the Department's formation on 3 October 2008.

Agencies and Public Bodies

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have.

Mike O'Brien: The Cabinet Office paper deposited in the Library of the House titled Machinery of Government: economy, business, climate change, energy and environment sets out much of this information. There are ongoing negotiations to determine the overall functions of the Department and which additional regulators, inspectorate, Executive agencies and NDPB will be the responsibility of the Department. The information will be published in due course.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget is for the first operational year of his Department.

Mike O'Brien: The annual budget for the Department of Energy and Climate Change is currently being determined with HM Treasury. The agreed budget figures will be published in the Spring Supplementary Estimates in February 2009.

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many civil servants in his Department were recruited through the fast stream; and what the average salary of those officials is.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which was formed on 3 October 2008, will consist of posts transferred from the existing Departments for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (DEFRA). The detail is still being worked on, but staff will come to DECC from Energy Group in BERR and Climate Change Group in DEFRA. Given that, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 18 November 20008,  Official Report, column 302W and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Employment Relations and Postal Affairs, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 760W.

Departmental Reorganisation

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the estimated  (a) set-up costs and  (b) full year running costs of his Department are expected to be.

Mike O'Brien: We have no estimations for one-off set up costs for the Department. The final budget for DECC will be agreed once negotiations on the Machinery of Government changes with BERR and DEFRA are complete.

Electricity: Per Capita Costs

Adam Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the annual average cost per domestic electricity consumer in Scotland arising from the operation of the Renewables Obligation Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 28 October 2008
	The Renewables Obligation Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Executive.
	However, Ofgem, which administers the Renewables Obligation for DECC, the Scottish Executive, and DETI Northern Ireland, have calculated the annual cost of the RO for 2008-09 to be around 10 per customer. This information is published on the Ofgem website at
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/FactSheets/Documentsl/energy%20prices%20jan08.pdf.

Energy Demand Research Project: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget is for the Energy Demand Research Project in  (a) this financial year and  (b) each of the next five financial years.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's overall budget for the Energy Demand Research Project is 9.75 million. The amount spent each year is not fixed but is dependent on the rate of progress of the project and claims for contributions from the participating energy suppliers. It is expected that expenditure on the project will end during the financial year 2010-11. The Government's contributions to participating suppliers are being matched by the suppliers, taking the overall budget for the project to over 19.5 million.

Energy Demand Research Project: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding the Government has provided to the Energy Demand Research Project in each financial year since its creation.

Mike O'Brien: The Energy Demand Research Project was launched in July 2007. During the 2007-08 financial year, Government expenditure on the project totalled 1.8 million. Expenditure to date this financial year is over 1.6 million.

Energy: Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much of the recently-announced domestic energy funding package has been spent on domestic energy efficiency measures; and how many households have received such funding.

Joan Ruddock: From 1 October to 17 November the Warm Front Scheme has spent approximately 16.5 million of the extra 50 million added to this financial year's budget. This has assisted more than 10,000 households by delivering energy efficiency advice together with a range of heating and insulation measures.
	Government will be consulting shortly on proposed legislation regarding the increased CERT (Carbon Emission Reduction Target) and the new CESP (Community Energy Saving Programme) obligations. In anticipation of this the energy suppliers have significantly increased their insulation programmes for this winter. In fact, as part of their obligation to improve household energy efficiency, energy companies estimate that they will insulate twice as many cavity walls and 50 per cent. more lofts than last winter.
	Thousands of extra people have benefited from energy saving advice from the Act on C02 helpline since the 11 September announcement. The Energy Saving Trust took 89,000 calls in September (against 27,000 in September 2007) and 92,000 in October (against 33,000 in 2007).

Energy: Meters

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will put in place a deadline for the compulsory roll-out of smart energy meters to homes and businesses.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 12 November 2008
	The Government announced on 28 October their plans to roll out smart meters to all domestic customersas can be seen in the  Official Report, House of Lords, 28 October 2008, column 1515with an indicative timetable of around two years to design and establish the full details of a roll-out followed by a 10-year roll-out period.
	In the 2008 Budget the Government announced the roll-out of advanced metering for larger business customers over a five-year period beginning in early 2009. A consultation on the provision of smart and advanced metering for remaining business customers closed on17 October. The Government will respond soon.

Energy: Prices

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds for benchmarking purposes on  (a) changes in energy prices in (i) other EU member states and (ii) the EU in each of the last three years and  (b) the support other EU member states provide to vulnerable energy consumers.

Mike O'Brien: Domestic and Industrial retail prices for gas and electricity for EU member states are published in section 5 of 'Quarterly Energy Prices', the latest edition of which was published in September 2008 and is available online at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/energy/statistics/publications/prices/index.html.
	Table 5.6.2 on page 64 shows average electricity prices, including taxes, for domestic consumers. Table 5.10.2 on page 70 shows average gas prices, including taxes, for domestic consumers.
	With regard to vulnerable energy consumers, since 2000, over two million households have been assisted in the UK through fuel poverty schemes and 20 billion has been spent on fuel poverty benefits and programmes.
	Winter fuel payments, worth around 2 billion a year, help around 12 million people each winter. In addition to 200 normally awarded to over 60s and 300 to over 80s, a one-off payment of 50 and 100 respectively has been made available this winter.
	Around five million households have been insulated since 2002 under CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target) an obligation on energy suppliers to achieve targets through encouraging households to take-up energy efficiency measures. It builds on the existing obligationthe Energy Efficiency Commitment, which has been in place since 2002.
	In April, the Government secured increased support for households from the energy suppliers. Collective annual spend on the social assistance programmes they offer will triple to 150 million by 2011.
	The Home Energy Saving Programme was announced on 11 September.
	DECC does not hold any data on support provided to vulnerable energy consumers by other EU member states.

Fuel Poverty

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the Government's target is for reducing fuel poverty; what changes have been made to this target since January; what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this issue; what recent representations he has received on fuel poverty; what reply he gave in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Government targets are unchanged and seek to end fuel poverty if reasonably practicable in vulnerable households in England by 2010; and to ensure that as far as reasonably practicable by 22 November 2016, no persons in England live in fuel poverty.
	Ministers in DEFRA and BERR hold regular discussions with ministerial colleagues including those in HM Treasury, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health.
	The Department regularly receives representations on fuel poverty and recently these have included those from the Local Government Association. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations in the form of a judicial review challenge from Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged which touches upon the operation and effectiveness of the Act. The High Court granted permission to Friends of the Earth to pursue the challenge, which was heard in the High Court on 6 and 7 October. The verdict is currently awaited and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

Fuel Poverty

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the numbers of those  (a) in fuel poverty and  (b) in fuel poverty and in a vulnerable group in England for each year since 2003; and how many of those were resident in each government office region in each such year.

Mike O'Brien: Fuel poverty estimates are published annually. The latest figures are for 2006 and can be found in the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy Report, 2008 and associated statistical annex. These can be accessed online at
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/energy/fuel-poverty/strategy/index.html
	Estimated figures for England are as follows:
	
		
			  Estimated number of households in fuel poverty (millions) 
			   England  Vulnerable 
			 2003 1.2 1.0 
			 2004 1.2 1.0 
			 2005 1.5 1.2 
			 2006 2.4 1.9 
		
	
	Regional estimates for total fuel poverty are also available and are contained within the Detailed Tables statistical annex. These show the following:
	
		
			   Number of fuel poor household (thousands) 
			  Government office region  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 North East 95 103 126 179 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 180 163 169 273 
			 North West 178 190 268 415 
			 East Midlands 112 101 145 236 
			 West Midlands 146 153 197 304 
			 South West 139 134 181 256 
			 East England 115 141 155 224 
			 South East 149 133 169 291 
			 London 108 119 120 254 
			 Total 1,222 1,236 1,529 2,432 
		
	
	The equivalent figures are not available for the vulnerable group.

Fuel Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households with at least one person  (a) over 60 years old,  (b) under 16 years old and  (c) with a long-term sickness or disability were estimated to be in fuel poverty at the latest date for which information is available.

Joan Ruddock: Fuel Poverty estimates are published annually, the latest figures relate to 2006. The requested information is available in the Fuel poverty statistics: detailed tables, available online at
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48038.pdf.
	These show the following:
	
		
			   Number of households in fuel poverty 
			 At least one person aged over 60 1,285,000 
			 At least one person aged under 16 392,000 
			 Someone in the household has a long term illness or disability 915,000

Fuel Poverty: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households in West Chelmsford constituency that are in fuel poverty.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The most recent year for which sub-national estimates of fuel poverty are available is 2003. The data for fuel poverty levels for 2003 come from the Fuel Poverty Indicator dataset available online at:
	http://www.fuelpovertyindicator.org.uk
	In 2003, there were around 2,300 households in the constituency of West Chelmsford living in fuel poverty.

Fuels: Prices

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information he holds on the average pump price for  (a) unleaded petrol and  (b) diesel in each EU country on 1 October 2008.

Mike O'Brien: The Department's latest information on the prices of retail premium unleaded petrol and diesel for all EU countries is published on the BERR website. It is given in table 5.1.1 (reproduced as follows) through the following link:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/energy/statistics/publications/prices/tables/page18125.html
	The information is sourced from the European Commission, which publishes weekly updates on average petrol and diesel prices for all EU member states. These are available at:
	http://ec.europa.eu/energy/oil/bulletin/index_en.htm

Gas: Prices

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps the Government are taking to encourage suppliers of non-mains gas to reduce their retail prices.

Mike O'Brien: The majority of domestic users of non-mains gas use Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).
	The downstream oil industry, including the production and supply of LPG, operates within a global market comprising refiners, traders and suppliers.
	The supply of LPG is subject to UK competition law under the Competition Act 1998, and the appropriate bodies act to regulate the sector. As a result of concerns about competition in the market for domestic bulk LPG, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) made a market investigation reference to the Competition Commission (CC) in July 2004. In June 2006 the CC published a report which stated that difficulties in switching supplier have inhibited competition. The CC has arrived at a package of remedies which is intended to make it easier to switch supplier, and will provide greater transparency of pricing, providing information on which consumers will be able to take this decision. It is expected that the increased ability of consumers to switch supplier will increase competition in the market and put downward pressure on prices.

Geological Disposal Implementation Body

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he established the Geological Disposal Implementation Body; who has been appointed to this body; what criteria were used in making the appointments; what budget is available to support the Implementation Body's work; how often it is planned it should meet; and whether it is a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Mike O'Brien: The Geological Disposal Implementation Board (GDBB) is a civil servant programme board set up to manage the Government and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) arrangements for planning and delivery of a geological disposal facility as set out in the White Paper Managing Radioactive Waste Safety: a Framework for Implementing Geological Disposal. Its role will include the provision of advice to Ministers and the preparation and publication of Government decision documents.
	Organisations represented on the Implementation Board will be the Department of Energy and Climate Change, HM Treasury, the Welsh Assembly Government and the NDA as the Government's delivery body.
	Other Government Departments, regulatory bodies and other organisations can be invited to contribute to supporting work.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Power Stations

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the extent to which the power sector will need to be decarbonised by 2030 to attain an 80 per cent. greenhouse gas reduction target for the UK by 2050; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Research into the UK's transition to a low carbon economy consistently emphasises the importance of increasing the energy efficiency of the UK economy and reducing the carbon intensity of the UK power sector. The research highlights uncertainties over the extent to which the UK power sector will need to be de-carbonised owing to imperfect knowledge about both the future rates of innovation and costs in particular technologies, and the power sector's inclusion in a future international cap and trade scheme.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households have received a boiler replacement grant through the Warm Front scheme in  (a) Bolton and  (b) England.

Joan Ruddock: Between June 2000 and March 2008 the Warm Front scheme has replaced some 217,267 central heating boilers. 3,353 of these were replaced in Bolton local authority.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many homes in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) England have received home insulation through the Warm Front Scheme since the establishment of the scheme.

Joan Ruddock: In the current contracted period, June 2005 to July 2008, the Warm Front Scheme has installed insulation in 263,307 households across England. 248 of these households were in the constituency of Hemel Hempstead.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households have received a boiler replacement grant through the Warm Front Scheme in  (a) Hemel Hempstead,  (b) Hertfordshire and  (c) England since the scheme was established.

Joan Ruddock: In the current contracted period, June 2005 to March 2008, the Warm Front scheme has replaced 155,798 boilers in England. 1,183 of these were replaced in Hertfordshire and 92 in the constituency of Hemel Hempstead.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many homes have been provided with heating under the Warm Front scheme in  (a) England and  (b) Bolsover constituency in the last two years.

Joan Ruddock: The following table illustrates the number of households receiving heating works in  (a) England and  (b) Bolsover through the Warm Front scheme in last two scheme years 2006-08.
	
		
			  Scheme year  England  Bolsover 
			 2006-07 87,619 124 
			 2007-08 111,596 271

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people in  (a) Southampton,  (b) Test Valley Borough and  (c) the ceremonial county of Hampshire received Warm Front grants in each of the last five years.

Joan Ruddock: The table below illustrates the number of households in  (a) Southampton,  (b) Test Valley Borough and  (c) the ceremonial county of Hampshire who have been assisted by the Warm Front Scheme in each of the last five years.
	
		
			  Warm Front Scheme 
			  Number 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09( 1) 
			  (a). Southampton 540 1,055 732 445 944 323 
			  (b). Test Valley Borough 189 134 166 411 171 96 
			  (c) Ceremonial county of Hampshire (including Southampton and Portsmouth) 6,890 8,989 7,207 7,254 8,224 3,612 
			 (1) To 28 October.

Insulation: Housing

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many additional homes will receive increased insulation and pipe lagging as a result of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target package with the power utilities announced on 11 September.

Joan Ruddock: The Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), which was succeeded by the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) in April 2008, has already helped five million households install insulation and make significant energy savings since 2002. CERT doubles the previous level of obligation on energy suppliers which, together with the 20 per cent. increase in target announced by the Prime Minister on 11 September, means a similar number of households will benefit from energy saving measures such as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and tank insulation in the next three years.

Insulation: Housing

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what resources are available to help people aged over 70 years insulate their homes.

Joan Ruddock: Under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, energy suppliers are currently offering free loft and cavity wall insulation to pensioners over 70, subject to a survey of the property.
	Low income private sector households with a person over 70 may also qualify for a grant to insulate their homes under the Warm Front scheme. Warm Front insulation measures include cavity wall, loft and draught proofing. Householders must be in receipt of a means tested or disability benefit to qualify.
	For more information on assistance available, householders are encouraged to call the Government-funded Act on C02 helpline (0800 512 012).

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  when a Minister in his Department plans to reply to the letter to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 16 September 2008 on solar water heaters;
	(2)  when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 29 September 2008 to the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on renewable energy projects.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer s 3 November 2008
	I replied to the hon. Member on 3 November. I apologise for the delay in responding.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he will respond to the letter to him of 3rd October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms M Bolton.

Joan Ruddock: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied to the hon. Member's letter on behalf of Ms M. Bolton on 20 November.

National Nuclear Laboratory

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made towards establishing a National Nuclear Laboratory.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform confirmed the establishment of the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) when he visited Sellafield on 23 July. DECC is currently running a competition to appoint a management contractor who can put the business onto a sound commercial footing and realise the NNL's fuller potential by broadening the range of work and customers. The competition is making good progress and the new management contractor is expected to be in place by spring 2009.

Nuclear Power Stations

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the working lifetime of any new nuclear power station built in the UK.

Mike O'Brien: The assumption for the working lifetime of any new nuclear power station built in the UK was contained in analysis published with the 2006 Energy Review. This is available at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file32014.pdf
	Plant lifetime was assumed to be 40 years.
	The document Consultation on Funded Decommissioning Programme Guidance for New Nuclear Power Stations set out a Base Case which includes the assumption that the reactor design will be based on a single station operating for an assumed life of 40 years. The Government response to the consultation confirmed that this should remain the assumption for the Base Case. However it will be open to operators to suggest alternative station lifetimes. Both documents are available at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/energy/sources/nuclear/consultations/closed-response/page47749.html

Nuclear Power Stations

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what arrangements he has made for the liabilities of existing British Energy reactor sites to be covered by EDF; whether EDF will continue to pay into the Nuclear Liabilities Fund to cover wastes and spent fuel created from ongoing operations at existing British Energy reactors; and whether EDF will be required to pay the same amount per tonne to Sellafields sites and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for spent fuel reprocessing or management and disposal as British Energy has paid under its agreement with the Government.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 24 November 2008
	The current arrangements for meeting the costs associated with waste and decommissioning of British Energy's existing nuclear power stations would not be affected by the proposed takeover of British Energy by EDF. British Energy, once owned by EDF, would continue to be responsible for any payments due to the Nuclear Liabilities Fund (NLF) as at present. All payments are made to the NLF, not to Sellafield or the NDA.

Oil: Prices

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2008,  Official Report, column 256W, on oil: prices, what his Department's current oil price assumptions are for  (a) 2010,  (b) 2015 and  (c) 2020.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 13 October 2008
	 DECC's latest future fossil price assumptions were published by BERR in May 2008, following a consultation published in January. In order to capture uncertainty around the outturn of future fossil fuel prices, the assumptions are presented in the form of four illustrative scenarios. Our price assumptions, and further details on the corresponding scenarios, are available through the following links:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/energy/environment/projections/recent/page26391.html
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46071.pdf
	The oil price assumptions for the years given are as follows:
	
		
			  Price ($/bbl ) 
			  Scenario  2010  2015  2020 
			 Low 45 45 45 
			 Central 65 68 70 
			 High 85 90 95 
			 High-High 107 150 150

Oil: Prices

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with oil companies on passing on recent falls in the price of oil via reductions in the pump price of fuel; what response was received; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I will shortly be meeting with some oil industry representatives on 27 November and I have made clear publicly that 1 want to see petrol and diesel prices fall. The evidence is that this is happening with some petrol prices as low as 89.9p a litre.

Plutonium

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings officials of  (a) his Department and of  (b) the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when it was responsible for nuclear policy, have had with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to discuss the development of the plutonium management strategy since January 2006.

Mike O'Brien: Officials have been meeting with the NDA regularly since January 2006 to discuss the development of options for managing the UK's civil plutonium stocks. Meetings were held prior to and following the publication of NDA's paper, Uranium and Plutonium: A Macro-Economic study. Further discussions have been ongoing since then, increasing in frequency in the lead up to and following the options paper published on NDA's website in August this year.

Renewable Energy: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding the Government has provided for the Hydrogen, Fuel Cell and Carbon Abatement Technologies Demonstration Programme in each financial year since its creation.

Mike O'Brien: The Government support the demonstration of Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Carbon Abatement Technologies through the Environmental Transformation fund (ETF). The programmes were launched in October 2006. This is a 50 million programme of which over 4 million has been committed to four Hydrogen and Fuel Cell projects and some 2.2 million to one Carbon Abatement Technology project. The following table outlines the spend to date:
	
		
			  Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Carbon Abatement TechnologiesETF 
			   million 
			   Spend 
			   Actual  Predicted 
			 2006-07 0.1  
			 2007-08 0.1  
			 2008-09  1.6

Renewable Energy: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget is for the Hydrogen, Fuel Cell and Carbon Abatement Technologies Demonstration Programme in  (a) this financial year and  (b) each of the next five financial years.

Mike O'Brien: The Machinery of Government changes of 3 October 2008 announced the creation of DECC, formed from the Energy Group located in BERR and the Climate Change Group located in DEFRA.
	The annual budgets for DECC are currently being decided. BERR and DEFRA will transfer their budgets for Energy and Climate Change respectively, based on the settlements agreed in the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 (CSR07), for the financial years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. The annual budgets for DECC and hence the ETF and its component programmes, including the Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Carbon Abatement Technologies Programme, will be agreed in due course.

Renewable Energy: North East

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether planning consents already given in renewable energy projects in the North East meet or exceed the renewable energy targets in the North East Regional Spatial Strategy for  (a) 2010,  (b) 2015 and  (c) 2020.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's Climate Change supplement to Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 1 Delivering Sustainable Development expects planning authorities to set regional targets for renewable energy generation in line with PPS22Renewable Energy, and to
	ensure their ambition fully reflects opportunities in the region, are consistent with the Government's national targets and, where appropriate in the light of delivery, are periodically revised upwards.
	The North East Regional Spatial Strategy, published in July 2008, does not set targets for renewable energy. It includes a target of at least 10 per cent of the region's electricity consumption from renewable sources (454 megawatts (MW) minimum installed capacity) by 2010. It has an aspiration to double this by 2020 but does not include any target for 2015.
	The following table sets out total installed capacity of planning development consents approved for renewable electricity projects in the North East region as at 30 September 2008.
	
		
			  Technology  Installed capacity (MW) 
			 BiomassDedicated 40.00 
			 Landfill Gas 28.46 
			 Hydro 0.75 
			 Municipal and Industrial Waste 29.96 
			 WindOffshore 103.80 
			 WindOnshore 348.82 
			 Total 551.79

Renewables Obligation

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the  (a) initial and  (b) final value has been of a renewables obligation certificate, including late payments, in each year of operation of the Renewables Obligation; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 20 November 2008
	A nominal value for a Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROC) can be calculated by adding the buy-out price to the recycle payment from both the buy-out and late payment funds for that obligation period. The following table gives these values for each year of operation of the Renewables Obligation (RO):
	
		
			   
			  Obligation Period  Buy-out price per MWh  Recycle payment per ROC for England and Wales (where 1 ROC = lMWh)  Nominal ROC value 
			 2002-03 30 15.94 45.94 
			 2003-04 30.51 22.92 53.43 
			 2004-05 31.39 13.66 45.05 
			 2005-06 32.33 10.21 42.54 
			 2006-07 33.24 16.04 49.28 
			 2007-08 34.30 18.65 52.95 
		
	
	It should be noted that the late payment fund was not introduced until the 2005-06 obligation period.

Severn Barrage

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish the findings of the interim review of the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study at the earliest opportunity.

Mike O'Brien: I expect to publish the interim findings of the feasibility study in the new year, together with a recommended shortlist of options, and the proposed scope of the Strategic Environmental Assessment for Public Consultation should the decision be to continue with the study.

Tidal Power: River Severn

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what topics are under consideration by the Severn tidal power strategic environmental assessment steering group; and if he will place in the Library the topic papers under consideration by the group.

Mike O'Brien: The SEA Steering Group has been asked to consider a number of outputs from the Strategic Environmental Assessment, being carried out by a consortium led by Parsons Brinckerhoff. These include drafts of the 16 Topic Papers listed here, and a draft SEA Scoping Report. The topic papers will be published early in the new year, subject to internal review.
	 Topic Papers
	Ornithology
	Hydraulics and Geomorphology
	Marine Ecology
	Migratory and Estuarine Fish
	Flood Risk and Land Drainage
	Community and Socio economic
	Other Sea-bed Uses
	Marine Water Quality
	Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecology
	Landscape and Seascape
	Navigation
	Historic Environment
	Freshwater Interfaces
	Noise and Vibration
	Carbon Footprint
	Resources and Waste

Warm Front Scheme

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has considered the merits of allowing regional variations in grant limit levels under the Warm Front scheme to account for regional variations in the cost of work under the scheme.

Joan Ruddock: The Department is currently reviewing the existing grant maximums. As part of this process we will be considering options for grant distribution, and will look at the possibility of regional variations in grant maximum.

Warm Front Scheme

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of grant limit levels under the Warm Front scheme.

Joan Ruddock: The Department is currently reviewing the existing grant maximums. In doing so, we shall be considering the findings and recommendations of the National Audit Office's Value for Money study of the scheme which is due to be published early next year.

Warm Front Scheme: ICT

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects the new Warm Front scheme computer system to be fully operational.

Joan Ruddock: Eaga continually seek to improve its delivery of the Warm Front Scheme, and most recently, it has further automated its material supply processes. This enhancement aims to maximise effective ordering of hardware and the implementation of this change is now complete.

Waste: Renewable Energy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 211-2W, (226760), how much energy has been produced by waste plants constructed since 2006; how much is expected to be produced by those not yet completed; and which plants are operating or will operate as combined heat and power plants.

Joan Ruddock: Energy from Waste (EfW) plants constructed since 2006 are Allington, Kent and Lakeside, Heathrow. Neither of these plants is fully commissioned.
	Detailed data concerning expected energy outputs from plants not yet completed are not available. Energy values will vary according to several parameters including the technology type and its associated energetic efficiency, waste quantity and waste calorific content. Not all of these can be forecast with precision.
	Energy from waste plants, with and without CHP capability, along with other non-combustion technologies are included on a list of known approved or pipeline waste projects applying for PFI credits. These projects are due for completion in the period 2011-15, subject to planning consent and the outcome of competitive procurement processes.
	Based on conservative average energy yields and expected waste tonnages it has been estimated that energy outputs from these could be in the region of 17-18 million GJ per year.
	There are currently four operating CHP plants in England. These are located at Sheffield, Coventry, Tyseley, and Isles of Scilly. All round four waste PFI projects where combustion is likely to be involved have been asked by DEFRA to include CHP proposals. The outline business cases for these projects are currently being assessed.

Wind Power

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State, for Energy and Climate Change, what information his Department holds on the number of fossil fuel power stations which have closed as a direct result of being replaced by wind turbines.

Mike O'Brien: We do not hold information on this because decisions on whether plant remains operational are made by individual generatorsfactors such as operational costs, fuel costs, availability, electricity prices and overall supply and demand are likely to influence those decisions.
	There is no direct relationship between the opening of a new power station and the closure of existing power stations, but each megawatt of electricity generated from renewable sources reduces an equal amount of generation from conventional sources.
	It is Government policy to increase the deployment of renewable energyincluding wind poweras part of our energy mix, in order to meet the twin challenges of climate change and security of supply. We will still need to maintain sufficient backup generation from conventional sources in order to maintain network reliability.

Wind Power: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget is for the offshore wind capital grants scheme in  (a) this financial year and  (b) each of the next five financial years.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has one offshore wind capital grant schemes supported under the Environmental Transformation Fund.
	The first offshore wind capital grants scheme was launched in 2003 to provide support to Round 1 demonstration scale offshore wind projects, and was designed to support early-stage learning in this emerging technology and provide lessons learned to help reduce costs for future commercial-scale projects. This scheme is fully committed and disbursements under the scheme are expected to complete in FY2012-13. Detailed budgets for  (a) and  (b) are:
	
		
			  Spend Profile 
			   million 
			 2008-09 7.62 
			 2009-10 11.12 
			 2010-11 0.57 
			 2011-12 0.57 
			 2012-13 037 
			 2013-14 0

Wind Power: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding the Government have provided for the offshore wind capital grants scheme in each financial year since its creation.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's Offshore Wind Capital Grant Scheme was launched in 2003 to provide support to Round 1 demonstration scale offshore wind projects, and was designed to support early-stage learning in this emerging technology and provide lessons learned to help reduce costs for future commercial-scale projects.
	The total capital grants programme was 107 million and was fully committed through three calls. The BIG Lottery Fund provided a grant of 10 million to one of the project supported under this scheme, which is not included in the figures. Funding under the scheme is disbursed in stages: on project commencement, completion and full commissioning and once each of three annual reports are completed once operational.
	Full disbursement is anticipated by FY2012-13.
	
		
			  Funding disbursed in each financial year to date 
			   million 
			 2004-05 15 
			 2005-06 23.11 
			 2006-07 25.89 
			 2007-08 12.75